


You're Gonna Feel Found

by RebelPaisley



Category: Descendants (Disney Movies)
Genre: Abusive Relationship, Adult Language, Angst, Anxiety, Auradon politics, Avoidance, Bonding, Bullying, Comfort, Complete, Confrontations, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Dating, Derogatory Language, Engagement, Exhibitionism, F/M, First Date, Healing, Healthy Choices, Heartbreak, Humor, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Lies/Deceit, Loneliness, Love Potion/Spell, Low Self-Esteem, M/M, Manipulation, Movie: Descendants (2015), Multi, No Beta we die like vikings, Not Audrey friendly, OT3, OT6, Political Power Dynamics, Politics on the Isle of the Lost (Disney), Polyamory, Public Freakout, Public Serenade, Referenced Bullying, Referenced Controlling Behavior, Referenced Mild Body Shaming, Referenced Prejudice, Referenced Sexual Assault, Referenced Shaming, Referenced Social Isolation, Referenced Suicide Attempt, Referenced depression, Romance, Seamstress Chad, Sexual Situations, Slash, Stress, Sweet Chad, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Toxic Relationship, Trying to live up to Unrealistic Expectations, Unhealthy Conditioning, United States of Auradon (Disney) Is Not Perfect, Verbal Abuse, Victim Blaming, coming clean, emotional breakdown, mild dubious consent, physical assault, poor mental health, referenced abuse, traumatic flashback
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-13
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:20:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 66,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26446987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebelPaisley/pseuds/RebelPaisley
Summary: When Audrey breaks up with Chad (well, not really, you have to date in order to break up), the prince finds himself at a loss.  He needs to date a princess to make his grandfather happy, but he’d never been with anyone besides Audrey.  Cue Evie, who is smart and sweet and talented and seemed to like Chad for some reason, so maybe there was hope for him after all?  He wasn’t sure, but he was willing to give it a shot for Evie.Also known as – that time Chad got out of a toxic relationship and accidentally stumbled into a healthy one, confusing VKs left and right with his earnest dedication.
Relationships: Background Doug/Jane (Disney Descendants), Ben/Audrey Rose (Disney: Descendants), Ben/Chad Charming/Evie, Ben/Chad Charming/Evie/Jay/Mal/Carlos de Vil, Chad Charming/Evie, Chad Charming/Evie/Jay/Mal/Carlos de Vil, Chad Charming/Jay, Evie/Jay/Mal/Carlos de Vil, One-sided Chad Charming/Audrey Rose
Comments: 370
Kudos: 327
Collections: just cry cry cry





	1. Starting Over

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING – This fic centers on an unhealthy relationship between Audrey and Chad. While they are not together during this story, there are a lot of references to behaviors and experiences that are definitely toxic. This story is about Chad overcoming that slowly but surely, though it takes a while for him to understand what was actually wrong with his past relationship. I’ll try to put up more specific warnings for the more intense stuff, but this is a general warning for the story as a whole.

“I don’t know what about this is difficult to understand,” Audrey huffed, radiating the usual displeasure she adopted when Chad was being particularly slow, failing to meet her expectations and disregarding the fact that he was, honestly, _trying_. 

He always tried, for Audrey, whose hair seemed to glow in the soft Aurorian sunlight, cascading in loose curls around her shoulders that made her look even more radiant that the princess she was – almost otherworldly. Audrey was strong and competent and knew what she wanted in life, and Chad strived to give it to her, if only so he could fight to uphold his half of their partnership.

At least until today, when Audrey said the words that had brought his world to a halt.

“I’m breaking up with you,” Audrey repeated as casually as she would have discussed the weather, seeming about as equally affected. “Ben has finally worked up the nerve to ask me out, so I’m going to date him now, just like our families always wanted us to.”

“Did I do something wrong?” Chad always did his best to correct his behavior after Audrey pointed it out as unsatisfactory. If he was going to make a mistake, it was best to only do it once, so Chad kept a list and had a mental set of punishments to self-enforce should he ever fall short. 

Audrey rolled her eyes. He was _annoying_ her. “No, Chad,” she sighed. “You did everything you needed to do. You were a very good boy.”

Chad preened at the compliment, even if Audrey seemed mildly sarcastic when she said it. Audrey wasn’t like other princesses, who were ‘soft’ and catered too much to ‘delicate sensibilities’. Audrey was strong and told it like it was, and if Chad wasn’t man enough to deal with that, it was his problem, not hers.

“But Ben’s going to be King of _Auradon_ one day,” she continued, a small but genuine smile tugging at her lips. “And if I play my cards right, I can be _Queen_ of Auradon as opposed to just Queen of Sardinia and Auroria and Ulstead.” And the Moors, but Audrey didn’t like talking about the Moors, since they mostly kept to themselves anyway. “You understand, don’t you?”

It was one of Audrey’s favorite questions that always gave Chad anxiety, because he rarely understood, though there was the direct implication that even an _infant_ would have been capable of comprehending what she was trying to communicate. 

So instead of explaining the fact that Chad very much did _not_ understand, Chad nodded, giving Audrey the smile he was pretty sure she’d grown to like the most. “Of course.”

This earned him a lovely grin in return, Audrey radiating an easy sort of beauty that made Chad feel like mush inside. “I knew you would, Chaddy-boo.” She reached out and poked the tip of his nose, which was one of her favorite expressions of affection because it didn’t require her to touch Chad that much. Chad could be _clingy_. Girls didn’t like boys who _clung_. “Now, we’ll keep acting the way we always have in public,” she explained. “But I won’t be able to text you or call you as much. I have to focus on Ben.”

Audrey had never been **_that_** great with phone communication as it was, so Chad supposed it wasn’t a huge loss (though part of him was desperately sad, because though they were rare, he’d always treasured those brief moments of communication, it had given him something to look forward to). 

“Right.” Chad nodded, because Audrey liked to know she’d been heard. “That makes sense.”

“Of course it does,” Audrey sniffed, tossing her hair over her shoulder in a vague expression of annoyance. “But thank you, Ducky.” She started guiding them back to the castle, where Chad’s grandfather was taking tea with Queen Leah, likely discussing Chad and Audrey’s now non-existent future. “Of course, on the very _miniscule_ chance that Ben does not propose to me, you and I will get married just like we planned, okay? I mean, it’s unlikely, but I thought you should be aware.”

Because Audrey was kind and explained the things Chad tended to miss, socially. She really was the best.

“He would be stupid not to marry you,” Chad said, knowing it would make Audrey smile and it did, the princess basking in the glow of the praise she so justly deserved. 

It was ridiculous to think that Ben _wouldn’t_ marry Audrey, because Chad had wanted to marry her for almost as long as he’d known her. In fact, it was only the knowledge that Audrey wanted to be Queen of Auradon – had _always_ wanted to be Queen of Auradon – that kept Chad from breaking down right then and there. Audrey had been his rock for a very long time, but Chad couldn’t be _selfish_. Audrey deserved to live her own life and get the very best, and if Chad couldn’t do that for her, then he hoped Ben would.

Maybe Chad should give him some tips. Not enough to give him the idea that Chad might have dated Audrey – because _that_ was supposed to be a secret – but enough to help so Audrey could be at her very happiest.

“He would, wouldn’t he? Audrey grinned, staring at Chad like he _meant_ something. And he’d done that, for her. He’d been able to help. He was a _helper_. 

The walk back to the castle fell into a comfortable silence, Audrey likely planning for the future ahead of her (Audrey was always prepared, Chad had learned quickly to learn how to keep up, to plan along with her, because he couldn’t be deadweight). There was a thought nagging at the back of Chad’s mind though, and as little as he wanted to bother Audrey with it, he knew he had to ask.

“May I ask you a question?” Chad pressed, and while this did earn him an annoyed look (he wished he wasn’t so stupid, sometimes), Audrey relented with a nod, because she was _kind_. “If we’re breaking up, do I- does that mean I should date someone else too?”

Just the thought of it filled Chad with a heavy sort of panic, but his grandfather had _expectations_ and Chad didn’t want to fail those as much as he didn’t want to fail Audrey, which was a _lot_.

Audrey sighed in a very un-princess-like fashion, because she could let her guard drop around Chad, who never called her on it. “I _suppose_ if you can find someone, sure,” she relented, knowing how peculiar Chad could be. “ _But_ , if Ben and I breakup, then you have to dump your hypothetical girlfriend and get back together with me, understand?”

“Perfectly.” Chad liked it when Audrey set out the rules for him, it made it easier to keep her happy.

“Good.” There was a pause, and after a moment’s deliberation she offered him her palm, allowing him the comfort of holding her hand one last time. “Now, about that new collection of spring dresses you were designing…”

After that, it was almost like business as usual, except Chad was alone again for the first time since he was eight.

So.

That was a problem. 

-:-:-:-:-:-

“That is grave news,” his grandfather decided after listening to Chad’s explanation of what had occurred on the castle grounds. “Though hardly unexpected, I suppose. Audrey has always been an ambitious girl. No amount of simpering on your part would woo her away from her desire for the Rose Crown.” 

Though if Chad had done his job, as had been expected for him, _he_ could have been the next King of Auradon instead of Ben. It was something he’d been training for his entire life, and while he had made it to the final selection round with Ben and Fairuza of Agrabah, Chad had fallen short in the homestretch. He wasn’t even sure what he’d done wrong, only that the weeks that had followed had been heavy with his grandfather’s disapproval, all their hopes and dreams ruined in one fell blow. Chad had to settle for being a great king for Sardinia, even though based on his grandfather’s behavior, he was beginning to think he couldn’t do _that_ either. 

“You will simply have to find someone else, Chadwick,” his grandfather declared, gaze fixed studiously out the window of their armored limousine as they made the drive back home. “A king cannot be without a queen. Find someone at that school of yours of royal pedigree and _try_ to keep her happy long enough for me to negotiate a marriage contract. Do you think you can manage that?”

Just like when grandfather had set that first dusty tome of Auradon history in front of Chad when he was seven, asking if he was ready to _work to be king_ , Chad nodded. “I can, grandfather,” he promised, hoping that this wasn’t as much of a lie as it had been last time. “I’ll find a new princess and make you proud.”

“We are past the point of pride, Chadwick,” his grandfather sighed. “At this point I’d happily settle for mediocrity. Do try not to disappoint me.” 

“…yes, grandfather,” Chad said, and then wisely kept his mouth shut the rest of the ride home.

-:-:-:-:-:-

The thing was, Chad wasn’t used to being alone. 

Well, he _was_ , because Audrey couldn’t be with him all the time and he couldn’t _always_ depend on her like a hopeless fool so obviously he was used to a degree of loneliness, but in the back of his mind there was always the certain knowledge that he had someone out there who was especially for him. Someone he was entirely dedicated to, who appreciated him despite his many faults.

Now Chad didn’t have that, and he had to rely on his ability to flirt which Audrey had already told him was terrible, but he _had_ to get a new girlfriend or his grandfather would have an even bigger failure for a grandson, and Chad didn’t want that. As cold as the man might seem, he was Chad’s family, and Chad didn’t know what he’d do if he stopped talking to Chad like his father already had. So.

Chad had to find a new princess.

Only he wasn’t that great at it because Audrey didn’t like it when he looked at other girls, even as friends, so he didn’t really know how to talk to them outside of professional circumstances.

Which left him back at sort of a horrible square one, drifting through the beginning of the school year like a ship lost at sea. His heart _ached_ from the loss of Audrey even though he knew he wasn’t good enough for her, and it hurt to try and move on when he only wanted to lock himself inside his closet and wait for the world to make sense again. He hated seeing Ben walk with his arm around her waist, even though that was stupid because Ben was easily one of the greatest humans Chad knew, and Chad should be _happy_ that someone so good had realized Audrey was so good and decided to date her instead of feeling sad about it like the greedy piece of shit he was. 

It left Chad feeling aimless, even though he completed his homework and attended Tourney practice and dutifully completed his private studies so he’d be a less-terrible prince of Sardinia. He did what he was supposed to do, but not what he was _supposed_ to do, which was what made that magic day in Chemistry all the more poignant.

Chad had heard vaguely through the grapevine that they were getting new transfer students – children from the Isle of the Lost. Frankly, he thought it was one of Ben’s more brilliant ideas, which was probably why he was chosen to be king instead of Chad, because those kids totally deserved a new start. He hadn’t realized he might share classes with any of them though, or that the quartet would include a beautiful young princess with a laugh like stardust and a mind sharp as a knife. Chad was intoxicated by the sight of her (which didn’t make him undevoted to Audrey, he was only _human_ ) and then she had smiled at him like he was something special, and he found himself immediately lost.

She even waited for him after class. _Him_. She just moved in step with him when he walked out the door with a flutter of her pretty lashes. “Chad, was it?”

“Yeah.” Chad grinned, feeling his cheeks heat with warmth. “Of Sardinia. And um- you’re Princess Evelyn, right?”

Her smile grew. “I go by Evie,” she said, voice silky sweet. Her hand brushed against Chad’s, making him flush darker – his heart seeming to stop in his chest when she neatly twined their fingers together. She was holding his hand. _His_. She even squeezed it. “Are you single, Chad?”

“Yes.” Chad nodded, and even though he wasn’t proud of that, it seemed to be worth it when Evie squeezed his hand again. Gently, not like how Audrey did sometimes when it seemed like she wanted to cut off the circulation to his fingers. “Are you?” At her surprised look, he mentally cursed himself for being so brilliantly _stupid_. “I mean- sorry, of course you’re not. You’re really smart and pretty-”

“I’m single,” she interrupted, but it was a kind one – not the abrupt, harsh words Audrey had to use when Chad got too wrapped up in himself.

“Oh.” Chad felt that embarrassed heat spread down his neck, dusting his chest. “That is. Um- that’s crazy.”

“You think so?” Evie asked, twirling a strand of navy hair around her manicured finger. Chad wondered if she’d let him braid it sometime. It looked really soft.

“Definitely,” Chad nodded, letting out a relieved sort of chuckle. “I mean- based on first impressions.”

He didn’t want her to think he only liked her for her beauty, even if that itself was a little overwhelming. Evie was a three-dimensional human being just like Chad and Audrey and probably had a laundry list of qualities that would make her an excellent partner aside from her looks. 

Evie’s painted lips pressed together in a thoughtful hum. Chad scrambled to look away with a blush when he realized he was staring at them. 

“You don’t mind that I’m from the Isle?” she asked, tugging on his fingers carefully.

“Um…” Chad didn’t know what to say. “You’re from Hanover.” Or, she should have been. “And hopefully you’ll never have to go back to the Isle. In fact,” he lowered his voice because the next part was supposed to be a secret. “After Ben made his royal decree to bring you guys over, I started working with Fairuza on emergency proposals to get the rest of the kids off the Isle. I mean-” Technically Fairuza had contacted _him_ , because Chad was great at research and paperwork – it was one of his few redeeming qualities. “We didn’t even know there _were_ kids, which- in hindsight-” Chad blushed. “-that should have um, been obvious.”

But the council had never increased the goods that were delivered to the Isle which should have been proportional to projected population growth, which was why no one had known. They couldn’t even get a breakdown of _what_ was sent over, and Chad and Fairuza had been trying to do that for years.

“…would you want to look at them?” Chad asked, realizing he had talked for too long. 

He knew better, _damnit_ , he didn’t know why he couldn’t keep his mouth in check.

Instead of looking frustrated though, Evie just stared at him with a sort of unreadable expression. “You want to get the kids off the Isle?”

“Well… yeah.” Chad shrugged. “ _They_ didn’t commit any crimes in Auradon, which makes their inclusion in the Isle basically wrongful imprisonment, which is illegal and-” He was talking too much again. “Um. Anyway, if you wanted to look our proposals over, that could be very helpful. You know, getting an inside perspective.”

Chad and Fairuza were great with books, but even that couldn’t make up for practical experience.

Evie drew to a stop, and Chad slowed with her, hoping he hadn’t already ruined things. She was chewing on her bottom lip, and it was hard not to stare because it was so pretty and full, but Chad needed to be a _gentleman_ and not _gross_ like he had a tendency to be.

“You should have lunch with me,” Evie declared, making Chad blink at the suddenness of her decision. “I’d like to introduce you to my friends.”

“I’d like that,” Chad rushed to say, then cursed himself for coming off as too eager.

But Evie merely smiled. “Great,” she said, tugging him back down the hall. “This way.”

She held his hand all through the lunch line, Chad carrying both of their trays to her table in the far corner. Based on their more eccentric manner of dress, Chad supposed that the three students already sitting there were the other Isle kids that had come over with Evie, who watched Chad’s approach with narrowed eyes.

“Everyone, this is Prince Chad of Sardinia,” Evie explained as Chad set their trays down in two empty spots. “Chad, this is Carlos, Jay, and Mal.”

“Hey guys.” Chad waved, giving his best _not-too-needy_ grin. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“I sincerely doubt that,” the tall guy – Jay – grumbled, not even wincing when Mal punched his arm. 

Carlos, the smallest of the three, seemed to huddle closer to Jay, keeping one leery eye on Chad while he ate his food. His tray seemed to be an accumulation of three types of salad and four cupcakes, which Chad respected on a personal level.

“Chad,” Evie grinned when the blond pulled out her chair for her, taking her seat with an easy air of dignity and grace. “Why don’t you tell the others about those proposals you were telling me about?”

“Oh.” Chad blinked, surprised that she had found that interesting. “Okay. Sure.”

He relayed the information around careful bites of food – protein and vegetables to keep a trim physique. His grandfather had arranged for a photospread for him next week to help ‘put himself back on the market’, so Chad couldn’t eat like a slob.

Of the three of them, Mal was the one who seemed the most interested in his explanation, though Carlos was a close second, his gaze never leaving Chad’s face, leading to generous streaks of frosting to be smeared across his lips. It was weird, but sort of cute, Chad guessed.

“You didn’t know about us.” Was what Mal got from that. “ _How_ could you have not known about us?”

“Access to Isle records are generally restricted for the Auradon council,” Chad explained. “My father’s on it, but what gets discussed in council sessions is generally classified.” Chad carefully stabbed at the remnants of his salad. “Though I suspect Isle records might be restricted to them as well, otherwise their total inaction makes little sense.”

There were too many decent royals on the council for them to collectively turn a blind eye to the suffering of children. If they’d known about them, there was no way they wouldn’t have helped before now.

“And you and Fairuza,” Carlos cut in. “If you make these proposals, they _have_ to listen to you?”

Chad’s shoulders tensed. “Sort of,” he allowed. “Because we both made it to the final rounds of the selection committee for Auradon’s future leader, we have a certain amount of sway. They’re obligated to hear us out at the very least, and as long as our proposals are entirely thought out with responsible action, they have no excuse _not_ to listen to us.”

“Selection committee?” Jay frowned, speaking up for the first time since Chad had started his explanation. “I thought that Ben-guy was gonna be king.”

“He is,” Chad said. “That is- he was always destined to be king of Central Auradon, the kingdom. But Auradon, the unification of kingdoms – the ruler of _that_ is selected by a committee, and each of the royal heirs that come of age are considered as candidates for ruler of the _United_ Auradon. It just so happens that the committee selected Ben for that as well.”

“So you _almost_ could have been king?” Jay pressed. “Of all of Auradon, I mean?”

“…yeah.” It was a conscious effort to keep his shoulders from slumping, because Chad had fallen short but it was against _Ben_ , who was so kind and smart and regal. It felt like he had lost before he’d even begun preparations at the age of seven.

“Huh,” Mal said, tapping on her chin. “And you want help with these proposals?”

“Just a review,” Chad rushed to assure her. He wasn’t a slacker, and Fairuza especially wasn’t by any means. “We need to know that once the kids are off the Isle that their needs are being adequately met. We don’t want to miss anything. It’s the details that really make or break these kind of proposals.”

“Huh,” Mal said again, and then her gaze slid over towards Evie. “I’m liking your new friend, Evie.”

“Me too,” Evie gushed, squeezing Chad’s hand under the table.

It was a small thing, but under the bask of their muted smiles, it felt like the world to Chad. Maybe things would be okay after all. Maybe he could do this.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Meeting Evie had provided the strike of hope Chad hadn’t realized he’d been missing. The other princesses at the school sort of ignored Chad – as they should because he was pathetic – but Evie _didn’t_. Partially because she didn’t know better, and partially because she was kind, and perfectly poised, and everything Chad could ever hope to find in a partner that wasn’t Audrey. 

And sure, maybe Chad didn’t deserve her, and he was likely harming her assimilation into Auradon by talking to her, but Chad couldn’t help it. He liked Evie and the other transfer students. He liked Carlos’ sweet tooth and quiet smarts and Jay’s rough attitude and need to win and the fact that Mal was unquestionably _the boss_. He liked their dynamic and the way they seemed to be able to read each other without question, and he wondered what it was like to have friends like that. Hoped if he stuck around long enough, he might feel it too.

Perhaps it was a bit forward, but after that first lunch Chad decided to put one of his other rare talents to use and make something for Evie and the others that would prove his worth, as both a friend and maybe as um- more than that. Audrey had always liked it when Chad sewed her something, so he figured this was a no brainer. He hoped.

Chad spent a week working tirelessly on the jackets, making sure _every_ detail was beautiful and polished before he finally brought them to lunch. If the others noticed his nervousness, they chose not to comment on it, Jay giving him a lazy glance while Mal flipped through the book of Auradon policies that Chad had helped her check out from the library. It gave her a good basic understanding of where most of his and Fairuza’s reforms were coming from, and Mal seemed so dedicated to it that Chad had thought about asking Fairy Godmother to test her for the Auradon Law class. And maybe an art class. The transfer students needed things they were actually interested in, but it seemed like no one had really even bothered to ask them what kind of direction they’d want their education to go. Chad had already sweet talked the school administrators into transferring Carlos into more tech-related courses and the young De Ville had _shined_ , making an excited buzz go about the science-related faculty members. 

“Hey, Chad,” Evie greeted with the usual flutter of her lashes. “How’s your day been?”

“Good.” Chad grinned, he’d only gotten a few questions mixed up between his AP coursework and Audrey’s regular quizzes, which was pretty good for him. “And yours?”

“ _Boring_ ,” Mal drawled, choosing to answer for most of them. Carlos was focused on what seemed to be an intro project to his robotics class and wasn’t paying attention to any of them. “Evie’s Proper Decorum teacher keeps nitpicking everything she does, even though she knows all this stuff already.”

“ _Mal_ ,” Evie said with that gentle and firm reprimand she used sometimes, like Chad wasn’t used to people speaking their mind with him. “It’s fine. My mother’s teachings are decades out-of-date. It makes sense that I’d need additional help.”

“Yeah, but things couldn’t have changed that much,” Chad said, frowning. “If you already know all the information, you should be able to test out of it.” Proper Decorum was supposed to be a blow-off class anyway. Chad couldn’t imagine a reason for nitpicking when the goal was not to conduct a civil infraction so large that it would start a war. “We should talk to Fairy Godmother after school today. You could take the final exam and clear room for an elective you actually want to take.”

Evie stared at him carefully. “…we can do that?”

“Sure.” Chad nodded. “Any of you can, if you think you know the material.” Chad chewed on his bottom lip thoughtfully, gaze drifting across the dining hall, where Ben was politely laughing at something Audrey had said. “Didn’t they give you guys any kind of aptitude tests when you came here? To see what you already knew?”

Mal gave him the driest of looks, similar to when Audrey thought he was being the biggest idiot in the world. “No, they just started handing out schedules and told us to show up.”

That… did not sound like a good strategy for an effective education. “Okay, why don’t we _all_ visit Fairy Godmother afterschool? And then we could get your course schedule tailored for things you don’t already know, or are interested in.”

“Why would you help us?” Jay asked, gaze narrowing at Chad. “Is it just because you want to get into Evie’s pants?”

“What?” Chad flushed. Evie wasn’t even _wearing_ pants, and Chad wasn’t a thief or anything. And the idea of wearing girls’ pants – did they do that on the Isle? It seemed _tight_. “Um- no. That’s just- that’s the right thing to do.”

“Lay off him, Jay,” Mal ordered with a roll of her eyes, and just like that, the taller teen turned his focus back to his food, disposition switching from accusatory to laidback in under a second. “So,” she continued, gaze flitting to the clothing bag Chad had brought with him. “What’s with the extra luggage?”

“Oh.” Chad felt his flush darken, though he supposed this was as good a segue as any. “I um- made you guys some presents. To welcome you to the school.”

Mal’s look of skepticism was probably well deserved, though it did little to make Chad feel more confident. “…you _made_ us presents.”

“Yeah.” Chad fumbled with the zipper of the bag, pulling out the first of the jackets – Evie’s, of course, a tailored royal blue with extra buckles (that seemed to be the Isle fashion) and pretty gold zippers. He’d embroidered the heart emblem she seemed to have on all her clothes onto the back of it, nice and big, and the inside was lined with a shiny red material patterned with gold hearts. He hesitated for a moment, desperate to give it to Evie, but he passed it over to Mal first. Mal, as far as he could tell, was their Audrey, which meant she had the right to inspect and declare Chad’s presents as worthy. 

Mal accepted the garment with a blink, Evie leaning over her shoulder to get a better look at it.

“I um- made that for Evie,” Chad explained. “I have one for each of you.”

“You _made_ this?” Evie asked, her fingers straying down the neat darts he had put into the front of the jacket.

“Yeah.” Chad grinned. “I um- got the heart symbol from the pictures they took when you first arrived and blew it up so I could program it into my embroiderer. I did that part at home, though.” His embroidery machine was far too _‘unwieldy’_ to bring to school, and going home was always a guarantee for loneliness, but it had been worth it if it made Evie’s gaze light up like that.

“You can sew,” Mal said, a sort of deadpan that was hard to get a read on. “I didn’t think princes did that.”

“Most don’t,” Chad admitted with a flush. “But my mom really liked to sew-”

“Yeah, that’s right.” Mal snapped her fingers as though overcome by a sudden burst of knowledge. “You’re Cinderella’s kid.”

“Just, um- Ella, please,” Chad said. “And I never really got to know her so I thought… it’s probably stupid, but it seemed like a way to be close to her.”

“It’s not stupid,” Evie assured him, placing one hand over Chad’s. She looked like she even _meant_ it, and wasn’t just humoring him like Audrey tended to, who begrudgingly dealt with his penchant for sewing even if it made him _unmanly_.

“I don’t get it.” Jay blinked up from his pasta. “Why wouldn’t you know your own mom?”

“ _Jay_ ,” Mal groaned, smacking Jay’s arm with a scowl. “Don’t you know anything? Cinder- _Queen_ Ella died like, a decade ago. Even Lady Tremaine was upset about it, _stupid_.”

It was more than a decade ago, but Chad appreciated the fact that Mal at least knew, though he was honestly surprised to hear that Lady Tremaine had been upset by his mother’s passing. Chad’s grandfather had always said the Tremaines were _‘a vile sort’_ and Chad was lucky they were far away, trapped on the Isle. 

Chad supposed they couldn’t be _all_ bad, if they missed his mom. Even a little. 

“Oh.” Jay paused, letting this settle over him. “Sorry, dude.”

“…it’s okay,” Chad whispered, sort of thrown by the condolence. He didn’t really get them all that often, but he supposed that was because most monarchs didn’t want their children talking to him. “Um. So… the jackets.”

Mal paused, as though she’d forgotten about the garment entirely. She made a show of looking it over, trailing her fingers over the inside and outside before she eventually handed it over to Evie with a nod. “This is acceptable.”

“Ignore her,” Evie gushed, immediately moving to put the jacket on. “It’s _incredible_ Chad.”

“Really?” Chad’s heart felt sort of fluttery under the glow of her appreciation, not even Audrey ever seemed to like his designs _this_ much. “I’m glad you like it. You’re a um- really good muse.”

“Oh, she _is_ , is she?” Mal drawled, but started poking through the clothing bag without waiting for Chad, pulling out Carlos’s jacket next. Chad had stuck to what seemed to be the young teen’s signature color scheme – dashes of red, white, and black making up the entirety of the jacket. He’d been sure to add a bounty of pockets as well for all of Carlos’ tools, and he’d even thrown in a pair of red and black fingerless gloves because he’d noticed the pair that Carlos tended to favor seemed to be falling apart. 

Carlos was hesitant to take the garment from Mal once she’d cleared it, tentatively reaching across Jay’s bulk before he snatched the jacket out of her hands, cradling it to his chest with narrowed eyes. He didn’t immediately put it on like Evie, but that was okay. It was his jacket now; he could do whatever he wanted with it. 

“Do I get presents?” Jay asked, leaning over Mal’s shoulder, who batted him away with a free hand.

“Yes, _dumbass_ , he said he made one for each of us.” With a grumble, she pulled out the sleeveless vest Chad had created for Jay, because Chad had never seen the other teen cover his arms. Maybe he got hot easily? 

“ _Nice_ ,” Jay drawled, barely waiting for Mal to finish her inspection before relieving her of the red and gold fabric. Chad tried to keep it sleek but edgy, something to help Jay fit in without sacrificing his rugged style. Like Evie’s, Chad had embroidered Jay’s snake pattern onto his back, making the gold stand out brilliantly among the red sturdy material. 

“And, last but not least,” Mal began, pulling her own jacket out of the bag with a subdued smile. Chad’s heart felt like it was going to beat out of his chest, because even though Evie had liked his coat, Mal was the _boss_ , and he didn’t want to mess up with her. The jacket he’d made for her was longer than Evie’s, angular with slits that ran up her hips for easy movement. He’d added a studded belt of purple to match the rest of the jacket, an asymmetrical zipper and sleeves so long he’d specially carved out thumb holes so she could wear them like gloves. Her broken heart symbol had been sewn into the back as well, and it was lined with a green fabric that seemed to shimmer in the light of the dining hall, intermixed with swirls of dark purple that complimented her hair.

Chad swallowed, barely managing to handle his anticipation. “Do you like it?”

Mal twitched as though broken out of a stupor, and when Chad expected to be reprimanded for bothering her- she smiled. A small one, but she _smiled_. “…it’s not bad,” she decided, clutching the coat to her chest. “It’s quite sturdy.”

“Yeah, I- I tried to use fabrics that were durable,” Chad explained. “But also, you know, nice to look at.”

“Function _and_ fashion,” Evie mused, sliding her fingers between Chad’s. She was holding his hand again, her painted nails looking so pretty against his tan skin. “Thank you, Chad.”

“You’re welcome, Evie.” Chad was smiling so wide his cheeks hurt, but he didn’t care, because Evie was happy. _Mal_ was happy and he’d done that. He’d done something right and wasn’t made fun of for being a _sissy_. 

“We should design something together sometime,” Evie continued, further rocking Chad’s world.

“You sew?” Chad perked up; he hadn’t known he could get happier. “I mean- yes. I would really like that. Working with you.”

“Together,” Evie said, squeezing his fingers carefully. “As partners. Equals.”

“Yes,” Chad said it so softly it was almost a whisper, like he didn’t dare for more. “As partners. I would-” He smiled, hoping his eyes weren’t tearing up with moisture. “I would like that a lot.” 

“You know,” Evie said, smiling just as radiant. “I would too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this story really zeroes in on Chad’s fixation with Audrey, and the possible ramifications of them having what is probably one of the least healthy relationships ever while Chad explores a new relationship with Evie. For the record, I don’t hate Audrey, she’s just a very convenient antagonist to use when creating Chad-Centric stories. I do actually have some fics lined up in the distant future where she’s a good guy, they will just be posted… a very long time from now. Until then, please enjoy this squishy version of Chad, who really just wants someone to love ^_^
> 
> This story will consist of nine chapters of story content, and one chapter of deleted scenes which will be uploaded with the last chapter. As always, please let me know if I missed something in the tags. I prefer to ere on the side of caution with these things, but when you stare at something for long enough, it can be easy to lose the details :)
> 
> I update once a week, generally on Sundays, but because things have been so crazy lately, I decided to make an effort to update twice a week. So there will be one update on Sunday and one update on Wednesday/Thursday for now. At least, I will try for this. There will always be an update on Sunday, though :D 
> 
> ALSO!!! Check out [this](https://twitter.com/geckoizcool/status/1305658226256404480/photo/1) amazing picture of Evie's coat ASkyOfKai drew!! I'm still figuring out how to embed it into the story, but until then, check it out on twitter!!!
> 
> Story notes:
> 
> For once, the Duke (Chad’s grandfather) is not completely horrible in this fic. He is actually somewhat of a good guy, in his own, weary way. Maybe not the best guy, but certainly better than he usually is. 
> 
> Fairuza is an original character – the younger sister of Aziz. You are free to use her if you need an OC for your story, just give me a shout out in the comments. I know how annoying it can be to invent a new character ;P
> 
> Sardinia is my name for Chad’s kingdom, which is canonically known as ‘Cinderellasburg’, which just didn’t work for me. Ulstead is the name of King Phillip’s kingdom from the live action movie ‘Maleficent – Mistress of Evil’. Hanover is my name for Snow White’s kingdom which is canonically known as ‘Charmington’, which I renamed for the same reasons as Cinderellasburg. 
> 
> For the record, if you’re ever a part of a relationship that is anywhere close to what Audrey and Chad have, please get out of it. This is like, an exaggerated version of unhealthy relationship dynamics for the sake of angst, and it should definitely not be tolerated in real life. 
> 
> Until next time :)


	2. Getting Comfortable

Meeting with Fairy Godmother took a little longer than anticipated, mostly because Mal and the others didn’t seem comfortable discussing their needs with an adult, but eventually (with Chad acting as an intermediary) they managed to schedule aptitude tests for all of them, and they spent that Saturday morning going through a slew of exams that Chad waited out in the hallway for, offering smiles and snacks during the few breaks they got.

The end result was that Evie and Carlos had both been placed in math classes that were in no way challenging for them (Evie had already, through some stroke of luck, been placed in Honors Chemistry with Chad and Doug, though Carlos hadn’t been as fortunate), and Evie also tested into a higher history and literature class, and safely fulfilled her ‘foreign language’ elective with her knowledge of Hanoven, Khuzdul, and French, the language of Central Auradon and Sardinia. Apparently her mother had quite the library back on the Isle. 

She had also safely tested out of _Proper Decorum_ , which opened up an elective for her to take a class in advanced government functions. 

Mal and Jay, who were less focused on knowledge acquisition, didn’t test out of their basic classes, but they were able to tweak their electives into things they were actually interested in – Mal opting for a few art classes while Jay signed up for archery and fencing. Overall, it had been a productive afternoon, save for one glaring problem.

“Remedial mathematics?” Jay echoed, looking between Fairy Godmother and Chad as though the answer would readily make itself available. “What does that mean?”

“It means that you’re a bit behind on the basics you would need to keep up with our normal math classes,” Fairy Godmother said kindly. “I’ll arrange for you to have a private tutor instead of going to your current algebra class - just until you get a better feel for things.” 

A frown tugged at Jay’s lips. “…are you saying I’m stupid?”

“No, dear-”

“Because I’m _not_ ,” Jay snapped, throwing down his results paper and storming out into the hallway.

“I’ll get him,” Chad offered before taking off after the other teen, following his stalking form down the hall. “Jay-”

“ _Shut it_ ,” Jay snarled, slamming his fist into a nearby locker and leaving a sizeable dent. “She thinks I’m- I’m _stupid-_ ”

“You’re not stupid,” Chad pressed, drawing closer despite the obvious displeasure radiating from Jay. “You’ve never needed to know this stuff before, right? You’re not dumb for being unfamiliar with a subject. That’s what school’s for – to fix that.”

“Mr. James is entirely correct.” Chad blinked when he realized Fairy Godmother had followed them out into the hall. “Jadir, I would never hold someone’s lack of knowledge against them. It is only their refusal to learn that could bring me disappointment. Now, I know this might seem like a setback, but Chad is right.” She offered the blond a soft smile, and like every other time she did, it warmed him down to his toes. “School is supposed to _help_ you. Now I would like to help you with this, but I can’t do that if you throw a fit.”

Her gaze slid meaningfully towards the dented locker.

“I’ll pay for that,” Chad offered.

“That would not teach him a lesson, dear.”

“Yes, it would,” Chad insisted. “I mean-” He turned to face Jay. “Is this sort of stuff okay on the Isle?”

Jay gave him an unreadable look. “Punching lockers? Sure, no one gives a shit.”

“Okay.” Now they were getting to the root of things. “In Auradon that’s called ‘destruction of private property’ and it’s bad.”

Jay’s shoulders tensed. “Oh.”

“But you didn’t know that,” Chad continued. “And now you do. That’s learning.” He turned a beseeching look to Fairy Godmother, who had been so kind to his mother once upon a time. Chad liked to think that earned him a certain level of fondness, but he could never really tell. “…he just needs a new outlet for his frustration.”

“Like Tourney?” Fairy Godmother offered, her expression shifting into one of light consideration.

Jay’s brows furrowed. “What’s Tourney?”

“It’s um… kind of hard to explain,” Chad allowed. “But I’m on the team, and with Fairy Godmother’s permission, I could bring you to our next practice.”

“And Carlos,” Jay said. After a pause, he added. “…so he also has an ‘ _outlet_ ’ for his frustration.”

“That’s very thoughtful of you, dear,” Fairy Godmother cooed, and Chad was beginning to think that despite the dented locker, things had turned out okay after all.

Which was honestly more than he’d hoped for.

-:-:-:-:-:-

“Here’s the basic gist of it,” Chad explained when they walked onto the field, Jay and Carlos still sort of staring down at the practice gear he had coaxed them into. “There are two teams. Each team tries to score points by carrying the ball from one end of the field to the other, except while you’re trying to score, there are also guys who try to tackle you to the ground – that’s me.” Chad had been put on defense because his grandfather had said if he wanted to be on a sports team he had to be _good at it_ , and Chad was one of the few princes willing to actively tackle people, which made him ‘good’ by default.

“…this is an Auradon game,” Jay repeated, seeming to struggle to understand the fact that the people of Auradon could enjoy some good old-fashioned roughhousing.

“Yep,” Chad said just like every other time he had brought this up. “It’s our most popular sport. It was invented for the United States of Auradon, trying to take components from all the popular kingdom pastimes.”

“Did I _have_ to come?” Carlos asked, frowning at his safety pads.

“You don’t have to try out if you don’t want to,” Chad said before Jay could insist otherwise, because Carlos did have a say here. “But we thought you might have fun. At the very least, it’s good exercise.”

“Right.” Carlos didn’t look too convinced, but he stayed quiet while Coach assigned them positions, sticking Carlos on defense with Chad which was… not great. If anything, Jay would have made the better defender due to his large stature.

“Okay.” Chad pulled Carlos aside with the excuse of handing him a yellow defense jersey. “Your only job on defense is to try and intercept the ball anytime they try to throw it to each other. Don’t tackle anyone, just run out of the way if you have to. Even with the padding, shoulder hits can hurt.”

“Intercept the ball,” Carlos repeated, seemingly to himself. “And what do I do after that?”

“Try to pass it to someone else on defense,” Chad advised. “If you get rid of it as soon as possible, they won’t have a reason to tackle you.”

“This game is so weird,” Carlos muttered, but he ran to his indicated position, leveling his Tourney stick the same way one might hold a sword. 

Chad sighed, then took his own spot by the offensive net, trying to get a feel for how exactly Jay would play. 

Five seconds into Coach starting the scrimmage, Chad found himself face up on the ground, wind punched out of his body and his shoulder aching with the force of Jay’s blow, the other teen apparently a natural at handling the ball. 

A few seconds later, Jay’s worried expression came into view. “Are you okay?”

“You’re supposed to- the ball,” Chad said ineffectively, still trying to get his bearings. “You have to keep running it down the field.”

“Yeah, I’ll do that next time,” Jay dismissed, offering Chad a hand up. Distantly, Chad registered the teammates on their side of the field drifting closer to them. “I didn’t mean to hit you that hard.”

“It’s okay.” Chad appreciated the fact that it hadn’t been intentional, even though he wouldn’t have blamed Jay if it was. “You didn’t know your own strength.”

“That was _awesome_.” Aziz, the son of Sultana Jasmine and Lord Consort Aladdin, spoke up. “You knocked Chad clean off his feet.”

“On _accident_ ,” Jay stressed, seeming defensive for some reason.

“It’s okay,” Chad repeated, going so far as to pat Jay’s shoulder. “Maybe don’t go full out? Unless it’s against the Tourney sled.” Which was designed to help with tackles. “Or at a game.”

“Yeah, can you do that against the Sherwood Forest team?” Aziz asked. “Because they always cream us.”

“They do,” Chad confirmed when Jay gave him a questioning look.

“Is everyone okay?” Coach called through his speaker. “Chad, are you hurt?”

“No!” His shoulder was a little sore, but Chad was used to accumulating various aches and pains through Tourney practice.

“Then let’s try it again!” Coach pressed. “Good sportsmanship, Jay, but next time don’t stop.”

“Okay!” Jay shouted back, even though he immediately made a face. “What the hell is _sportsmanship_?” 

“It basically means you were polite,” Chad explained as Aziz and Ben wandered back to their original positions.

“Me? _Polite_?” Jay let out a low chuckle. “Mal would get a kick out of that.”

“I’m sure she’d be proud of you,” Chad offered, and he was greeted to one more look of confusion before Jay got back into position.

On the bright side, the next time Jay shoulder checked him Chad only stumbled a few steps out of the way before being able to recover, not that it helped him catch Jay at all. Carlos took his advice and deftly ducked out of his charging friend’s path, and Jay got to score the very first point of the practice with little to no opposition. 

The next time they reset Ben started with the ball, and the look of surprise on his face was priceless when Carlos managed to intercept one of his passes before deftly chucking the ball to Chad, who took advantage of Offense’s confusion to sprint down the field and score a point for Defense, which literally never happened.

By the end of practice, the two teams were mostly tied, and Chad had scored more points than he had the entirety of last season.

“You’re both on the team!” Coach declared, and while Carlos still seemed wary of this, Jay was thrilled, which was all that mattered to Chad.

It felt good, helping his potential friends come into their own. He hoped he got to do it more often.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Back when Chad was dating Audrey, he’d gotten into the habit of using the communal showers in the locker room after practice. Mostly because Audrey didn’t like him coming to her room sweaty and gross, and stopping by his own room to get cleaned up before going to hers to do her homework for the day took too much time. 

So he’d resigned himself to the communal showers, despite the fact that they had no curtains or dividers to speak of. It was just a large tiled room with a lot of shower heads, and sure that was _awkward_ , but since everyone else washed up in their own rooms after practice Chad generally had the run of the place. 

Despite the fact that Chad was no longer dating Audrey, she still needed help with her homework, which left Chad to wait for the team to trudge out of the locker room before he could rush to get cleaned up, mentally reviewing the homework _he’d_ been assigned that day to calculate how much time he’d have to work on Audrey’s. 

He was in the middle of executing his brief scrub down (he had it down to an art) when he heard a throat clear near the shower room doorway. Freshman Chad would have jolted at the sound, but sophomore Chad had been properly schooled by Audrey when he’d brought up the no-shower-curtain thing in the first place, who’d told him _‘don’t be a baby’_ and _‘it’s only weird if you make it weird_ ’ and _‘no one wants to look at your body anyway_ ’. So he only felt marginally shy when he looked over his shoulder and saw Jay lingering in the doorway, the tall VK sort of lounging against the doorframe like it was his own personal couch.

“What are you doing?” Jay asked, raking his gaze over Chad’s form – likely out of curiosity, not because he actually was _interested_ , see Audrey’s third point.

“Cleaning up,” Chad explained with a shrug, rubbing a hand through his hair to get the last of the shampoo out. “I usually go to Audrey’s room after practice to study, so I shower here.”

“ _Here_ ,” Jay echoed, inspecting the room with the same confusion Chad had used when he’d first set eyes on it. “And you’re okay with just- being naked out in the open?”

“It’s not the _open_.” Chad flushed. “This is a private shower room.”

“With no barriers,” Jay pointed out. He seemed to think on this a moment, and Chad let him have it, figuring this would likely seem strange to someone who’d come from the Isle, where running water seemed to be a rare commodity. “Mind if I keep you company?”

The non sequitur took Chad by such surprise that he almost dropped his conditioner. He managed to catch it at the last second, tucking it into his toiletry bag hanging on the shower handle before turning a confused look to the other teen. “You want to stay?”

“Sure.” Jay shrugged. “I can even walk you to that princess’s room, later.”

“Really?” Chad shouldn’t second guess it, shouldn’t _press_ , but the mere concept filled him with a distinct sort of excitement. Jay wanted to wait, _for him_. Jay wanted to make sure he wasn’t alone. Few people ever did that. “I’d like that.”

Jay paused, as though not expecting this gratitude, before a large grin cut across his face. “Then it shall be done.”

With that, he settled onto the floor, still curled against the doorframe, humming a tune Chad couldn’t quite hear over the thrum of water. 

When it got to the point where Chad had to wash the conditioner out, he felt a little shy, but _‘it was only weird if he made it weird_ ’ so he turned his back to the water, letting his head fall back so that the conditioner could properly wash out. The position was familiar to him, only this time it left Chad totally exposed to Jay’s gaze, but it wasn’t _weird_ and _‘no one would want to see_ ’ Chad’s body anyway.

Jay coughed, and when Chad looked back to him, the VK was pointedly looking at Chad’s pelvis. “…you don’t have any hair.”

“Oh.” Chad flushed, making a conscious effort _not_ to reach down and cover himself. Audrey hadn’t liked his pubic hair the few times that she _did_ delve to address his physical needs. “Yeah, um… my ex-girlfriend didn’t like it, so…” At Jay’s raised brow, Chad continued, “I mean- we weren’t- she wanted to keep it private so we did, so if you ask anyone they wouldn’t know about it-”

“Hey man,” Jay waved him off. “You don’t have to explain it to me. Girls can be weird.”

Chad felt his shoulders slump in relief. “They really can be, sometimes,” he agreed. “Hey um… thanks for keeping me company.”

Jay sort of cocked his head to the side, and Chad was likely imagining the slight flush that spread across the bridge of his nose. “Trust me, it was _my pleasure_.”

He said it so determinately that Chad was even willing to believe him. It was strange.

Before, washing up in the shower room had always felt awkward and isolated, but with Jay it didn’t seem so bad, especially when the other teen followed Chad back to his locker, keeping him company while he dried off and changed into his school clothes. Jay even kept his promise about walking Chad to Audrey’s room before leaving him with a lazy salute, giving a conspiratorial wink as though they’d been partners in crime together. Maybe they had and Chad just hadn’t known it. The thought was a tantalizing one.

That was what got Chad through yet another lonely evening in Audrey’s room (the princess was with Ben, of course), finishing up her schoolwork before returning to his room and working on his own, having a nice dinner of protein bars and water so he could maintain an Audrey-approved physique. He figured if it was Audrey-approved, it would likely be Evie-approved too, and Chad wanted, almost more than anything else, to be approved by Evie.

-:-:-:-:-:-

That weekend, Chad finally got the collaboration Evie had asked him about.

Working with the princess was every bit as magical as Chad had hoped it would be. She came with Jay trotting on her heels, though he was entirely uninvested in the process, contented to sprawl himself across Chad’s bed while reviewing a Tourney rulebook with a look of disinterest. 

Chad didn’t mind the extra company, hoping with a fleeting sort of uselessness that if Jay saw how well Chad worked with Evie, he might want to be friends with Chad. It was a hope he dared not voice, but he allowed it to act as an extra motivator. Evie had brought a design along with her, and Chad fortunately had enough of the right material on hand that they were able to make it. 

Evie was entirely interested in his work, asking him to demonstrate every step of the design – from laying out the pattern to cutting out the fabric and piecing everything together – adding in darts, zippers, hems – she was interested in everything and the more Chad swiftly navigated through it, the bigger her smile became. 

By the end of the afternoon they had a lovely dress that Chad presented to her with a flourish, bundling it up in a spare garment bag. Evie accepted his offer to walk her back to her room, and then _she_ asked him to dinner, even held his hand on the way there, and Chad thought life couldn’t get any better.

It was strange to think that he could be happy during this dark period of time without Audrey, but somehow, Chad had managed it, and he wasn’t even failing spectacularly.

Granted, he was still waiting for the other shoe to drop, but until then he had a pretty, smart, _nice_ princess to hold his hand and think that he was worth something, and that was more than enough for Chad. 

-:-:-:-:-:-

“Hey, Chad?”

Ben intercepted Chad on his way to breakfast, the blond having just wrapped up another early-morning session of proposal editing with Fairuza in the library and hoping to grab at least an apple before heading to his first class.

He hadn’t caught Ben’s approach, though if he had, Chad would have ignored him because Ben didn’t waste time on people like him, except now apparently he _did_ and Chad needed to not act like a freak for ten seconds even though that seemed really hard.

It took what would probably be considered too long for Chad to muster a response, even though it was just a pitiful, “Um- hey, Ben.”

Fortunately, the to-be king didn’t seem all that bothered by Chad’s lack of charisma. “You’ve been hanging out with the transfer students, right?”

“You mean the Isle kids?” Chad wasn’t sure if there were other transfer students, he didn’t really keep tabs on the kids that wouldn’t be on the council in the future, he figured there was no point in getting his hopes up.

“Right.” Ben nodded, and Chad had a moment to take comfort in the fact that he’d gotten something correct. “You’re the one that brought Jay and Carlos to Tourney practice, right? And Jay likes you?”

“I wouldn’t say he _likes_ me.” As far as Chad could tell, Jay tolerated him, but that was okay with Chad. He found that toleration was better than silence. “But yeah, I brought them to practice so they could experience more Auradon stuff.”

“And you’ve been sitting with them at lunch?” Ben pressed, though Chad wasn’t sure why, because if Ben was that interested in Evie and the others, he would already know that Mal had allowed Chad to eat with them.

But maybe Ben just liked to verify things like Fairuza, so Chad nodded. “Yeah, I have lunch with them. And I have Chemistry and Advanced Government Functions with Evie, Calculus with Carlos, and Art with Mal.”

Chad didn’t really like art, but he needed a blow off class to fulfill his fine arts credit and that had seemed like the easiest one. And now he got the bonus of sitting next to Mal and watching a true genius at work, and a few times she had asked him to model for her, so he hadn’t even had to attempt to branch out past his clothing designs. It really was the best.

Ben even seemed to agree because he was smiling, _at Chad_. He was wasting time, _on_ _Chad_. “That’s great,” he chirped. “Do you know if they’re settling in okay?”

“They’re doing a lot better now that their schedules have been fixed,” Chad said with a shrug. “Evie and Carlos had both been placed in classes that were too easy for them, and it seemed like all their electives had just been randomly selected _for_ them. But Fairy Godmother helped them fix that, and now they seem happier.” 

“Oh.” Ben blinked, like this confused him. “I didn’t realize they were having issues.”

“Just small ones,” Chad offered. “It seems like the Isle is super different from Auradon, so I try to answer their questions about that, but…” He frowned. “Well, there’s a lot more structure compared to what they’re used to, so that’s an adjustment.” At least, that was what Chad had gotten from the few stories they had shared with him over lunch. “But they seem to like it here, especially the food.”

Just as he’d theorized, acquiring food on the isle was survival of the fittest, and _all_ of them were unused to having such easy access to food, let alone _good_ food. It sort of made Chad feel dumb about his touch-and-go relationship with eating.

“Oh, by the way,” Chad continued, figuring since Ben was deigning to speak to him that he might as well do something productive. “I know Queen Snow’s out-of-touch right now on diplomatic duties, but could you contact the reigning Hanover Council? Evie really should have some kind of welcoming ceremony to formally introduce her as Hanover’s heir.” He furrowed his brows in thought. “Or maybe they’ll want to interview her first, but either way, someone from Hanover needs to contact her so she can know what’s expected of her before being formally introduced to the public.” 

It really should have happened before now, but Chad was getting the feeling that the Isle students’ invitation to Auradon was so last-minute that no one had really bothered to plan things out, even though they should have.

Ben drew them to a halt. “Chad… Evie isn’t Hanover’s heir.”

“Yes, she is.” Now _Chad_ was confused, which wouldn’t have been surprising if they were talking about anything else, but Chad _knew_ politics.

“No.” Ben was gentle when he said it, almost like he was talking to a child. “Queen Grimhilde had her authority stripped from her due to her crimes.”

“I know the edicts, Ben,” Chad reminded him softly, because Chad had made it to the final stages of the selection committee for a _reason_. “Queen Grimhilde did have her authority stripped away, but Queen Grimhilde’s father was still of royal pedigree, and when she married King Leopold after the death of his first wife, it was the understanding that their two kingdoms would be merged into what Hanover is today. As such, despite her crimes, Queen Grimhilde’s descendants hold just as valid a claim to the Hanover throne as King Leopold’s. So while Queen _Grimhilde_ can never come back into power, there is nothing that invalidates Evie’s claim to the throne, as she has committed no formal crimes in Auradon.” Chad would have thought that much was obvious, but then again, he spent a lot of time researching the different inheritance guidelines for each of the kingdoms. “And since Queen Snow has no heirs, that would make Evie next in line for the throne.” 

Ben stared at him as though no one had explained this to him before, which made Chad briefly wonder (in a bitter, stupid way) how _he_ had been selected to be king in the first place.

“You can check the lawbooks,” Chad advised when Ben seemed no closer to forming a response. “The information is all there.”

“But…” Ben blinked. “The council-”

“Has no right to interfere in the internal affairs of an individual kingdom.” Ben _had_ to know that. “They don’t get a say in who inherits the crown unless it puts the rest of Auradon in jeopardy. They could potentially raise an objection because Evie is from the Isle, but that would also raise a red flag about wrongful imprisonment and the freedom that major villains are allowed to exhibit on the Isle, and none of them would want to do that.” This was something Chad knew from his and Fairuza’s endless excursions through red tape. “The fact is, until Evie actually commits a crime, she’s Hanover’s heir, which makes her a princess. Which means _you_ , as Auradon’s future king, need to aid her proper introduction to Auradon, but that can’t happen until the Hanover Council is contacted.”

Chad checked his watch and cursed, because his dumb enthusiasm on the subject had cut into what little time he had to go snag breakfast, and now he had to run to class.

“Think it over,” Chad said, giving a bow he hoped wasn’t as awkward as it felt. “I have to go.”

“Chad, wait-” Ben’s hand wrapped around Chad’s wrist, and his fingers were long and perfectly proportioned and not like Chad’s _stupid stubs_ that Audrey giggled at so much. “How do you know all this stuff?”

“By reading?” Chad didn’t know what else to say. “Ben, it’s our job to know this stuff. If I want to be the best king for Sardinia I can be, I have to put the work in.” With a reluctance only born from stubborn greed, Chad extricated himself from Ben’s hold. “Now, I’ve really got to go. If you have more questions, you can ask me-” Not at lunch, because lunch should be shared with Audrey. “-when we’re changing for practice,” Chad settled on. 

And then he forced himself to leave, because otherwise he might steal attention he didn’t deserve, and that was _rude_. Ben shouldn’t waste time on Chad, he should be with Audrey or Aziz or Lonnie, he should be making the hallways brighter just by being in them. He should do all the stuff that Chad _couldn’t_ do, which was why he would be king.

Though it did sting some, seeing that he didn’t seem to know basic policy rules.

Whatever, that was what Chad and Fairuza were for. And that was good enough for Chad.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Chad would be lying to say he wasn’t concerned when Evie didn’t make it to Honors Chemistry that day, though at least he had Doug to commiserate over her absence with. 

“We have Honors History together first period,” Doug explained as they worked through that day’s lab experiment. “She was in class for about fifteen minutes before she got called to Fairy Godmother’s office.”

It was not information that sat well with Chad, though he was still careful to take detailed notes of the chemical reactions so Evie could look at them later. He had lunch after this, maybe Mal would have some information. If something had gone truly wrong, they would have heard about it by now, right?

Chad felt uneasy going through the lunch line by himself, though he got Evie a plate of her regular favorites just in case, and by the time he made it to the table, Mal and the others looked ready to bite off someone’s head. At least, Mal and Jay did. Carlos just sort of huddled in on himself.

“Do you know what’s going on?” Mal’s eyes fixed to Chad with a ruthless severity, her shoulders tensed as though she was ready for battle. “Rumor has it that Evie got pulled from her first period but no one will tell us _why_.”

“I haven’t heard anything,” Chad admitted, shoulders slumping in defeat. He was supposed to be _helpful_ , and he didn’t even know where the girl he was trying to woo was. “Here, take my food. I’ll go to the office and see-”

“Hey, guys!” Evie’s cheerful visage could not be a better sight for sore eyes, her usually lovely stride amped up with a certain pep that would be infectious were the rest of them not so worried. “Guess who spent the last two hours talking to the Hanover Council?” she giggled, sliding into her usual spot between Chad and Mal, her already joyful expression lighting up further when she realized Chad had gotten her food. In fact, the others had as well. They were so thoughtful. “Thanks, guys – the answer is me, by the way.”

“And this… is a good thing?” Carlos tried, seeming reluctant to switch out of his defensive huddle, though it was more relaxed now that Evie was there.

“Yes!” She was still grinning, a brightness that not even Mal could stay mad in the face of. “They interviewed me to get a feel for my status as the potential heir to Hanover and – long story short, they’re going to send a counselor here to Auradon, and after I pass a few sessions with her, I get to be officially declared crown princess!”

“That’s great, Evie!” Chad couldn’t stop grinning, because he’d talked to Ben and the king-to-be had _listened_. He’d taken Chad’s suggestion and now Evie was that much closer to claiming the throne she should always have. “Congratulations.”

“Thank you,” the princess chirped, her fingers twining effortlessly with his and giving them a squeeze, like she knew he was the one responsible for this after all.

“Don’t get too excited,” Mal warned. “It sounds a lot like they’re putting on a show. I mean – a _counselor_? Seems like an excuse for them just to declare you unfit.”

“They wouldn’t do that.” Chad frowned. “Hanover’s been scrambling for an heir for years. They likely want to get an idea of where Evie is in terms of knowledge and… well, none of us really know what any of you may have gone through on the Isle. If she needs help of any kind, they’d want to give it to her. They are her people. Hanover looks after its own.” 

“And how could we know that she wouldn’t get screwed over?” Mal asked, Chad flushing at her vulgarity even after being exposed to it for a few weeks, because she was so dainty and the words were so harsh.

“Um.” He thought about it. “You could request a neutral third party to observe your appointments in order to assure that everything is above board. Because these meetings are, essentially, what will declare you fit to be heir, asking for someone to witness the exchange is entirely reasonable.” He furrowed his brow, already anticipating Mal’s next question. “You should talk to Ben. As the chosen heir for the United States of Auradon, he’s had extensive training in acting as a neutral party. Granted, you would have to do it before coronation, because afterwards it would be a conflict of interest-” With Ben being able to sway who would be chosen to take the future Hanover seat on the Auradon Council. “-but otherwise, he’s perfect.”

“Huh.” Mal blinked, crossed her arms then re-crossed them, then stared across the lunchroom where Ben was nestled beside Audrey – Aziz, Lonnie, and Jane laughing at something the princess had said. Audrey was _sassy_. But that was okay, Mal was sassy too. And so was Carlos, when he put his mind to it. “I think I will.”

-:-:-:-:-:-

Mal must have worked her magic quickly, because by the next day Evie had her first three appointments set up and Ben was scheduled to attend all of them. 

Chad discovered this information through an annoyed Audrey, who vented to him about being denied access to her new boyfriend because of some _Isle_ kid.

Chad, because he loved Audrey and liked Evie a whole lot, opted to say nothing, letting Audrey complain before offering to paint her nails because that always made her smile. A foot rub and three coats of toenail polish later, Audrey seemed closer to begrudging acceptance, but just to be sure Chad arranged for a delivery of her favorite Auradon chocolates to be delivered to her room, along with advance samples of his latest fall collection.

She wore one of the dresses to class the next day as her way of saying thank you, _and_ Chad got to hold Evie’s hand again, and Mal had even hooked her arm through his elbow, so he was probably doing okay on the gentleman front.

What a life.

-:-:-:-:-:-

“You’re getting better at checking your strength,” Chad said, projecting his voice over the sound of the shower spray. “Realistically, we’re not the best team in the league, so you won’t really get a handle on how good you are until we go up against Sherwood Forest – _they’re_ the best – but like, I think you’ve got a really good shot of getting recruited to a college team if you keep doing what you’re doing.”

“Really?” Jay asked from his usual position sprawled in the doorway to the shower. Chad was really beginning to enjoy these one-on-one talks with Jay, it made him feel like they were actually friends, which seemed bizarre, because Jay was tough and rugged and Chad was a weak, dopey baby. “You think so?”

“ _Coach_ thinks so.” And Coach was a way better authority than Chad. “I overheard him talking to some of the other faculty members.” Chad usually wasn’t one for eavesdropping but Evie had taught him the value of doing so, and it was so totally worth it to see a smile stretch across Jay’s face. “He thinks you’re good enough to be given a full-ride, which means you can go to college and study whatever you want _and_ play with an even better Tourney team, and if you do well _there_ , you could go pro, or just use the degree you got.” Chad started working the shampoo through his hair. Unlike the lavender-scented products Audrey had preferred he use, Chad was slathering his locks with one of Evie’s homemade concoctions that smelled like evergreen, and Chad liked it a _lot_. “It opens up a lot of options for you. Even if you don’t want to play Tourney for the rest of your life, you could go pro for like, five years, save up a bunch of money, and then retire to do whatever you want.”

Chad imagined it would have something to do with Evie and the others, who seemed to be Jay’s everything. 

“You really think I could go pro?” Jay asked it with an uncharacteristic sort of tentativeness, and when Chad looked over his shoulder, the other teen was staring at his hands as though lost in thought.

“Sure, you could,” Chad said with as much reassurance as he could muster. He wanted Jay to know he’d be there for him, that Chad wasn’t just dedicated to Evie. “You’ve got the skill for it.”

“You think they won’t care though?” Jay pressed. “That I’m from the Isle?”

Chad paused so he could really think that over, give it the attention it was due. “…you’re not your dad, Jay,” he settled on eventually. “All you have to do is show them that. And then all the angry people that judge you before they even met you will be proven wrong, and you can give hope to all the other Isle kids out there who deserve to start a new life in Auradon.” He let that settle for a few moments before continuing, “That is, assuming you want to go pro. You can still be an inspiration to them in other careers too.”

Before Jay could respond, there was some shuffling near the door that preluded the sound of Ben’s voice. “Jay? What are you-?” He cut off when his voice drew closer, and when Chad looked over his shoulder again it was to confirm the fact that Ben _was_ right there standing next to Jay, though his eyes were fixed on Chad in surprise.

It wasn’t weird. It wasn’t weird unless Chad made it weird and he wasn’t going to be a _baby_ even if he sort of wanted to be because Ben was blushing and refusing to look at him.

“ _Um_.” Ben sounded uncomfortable, and Chad had done that, somehow. “What are you guys doing?”

“Jay’s keeping me company,” Chad explained, turning to face them so he could finish washing the shampoo out of his hair. “What are _you_ doing?”

“I um-” Ben turned so that he was facing the locker room, which seemed kind of rude to Jay, who had done nothing to deserve his averted gaze. “I forgot one of my bags in my locker and then I heard talking so…” He trailed off with a shrug. “Do you guys do this often?”

“Every day,” Jay drawled, seeming to revel in Ben’s discomfort. He shared an amused look with Chad, motioning for him to move onto his conditioner so he wouldn’t fall behind. “Got a problem with that?”

“Of course he doesn’t,” Chad answered on reflex. Ben would never be that unreasonable, he was _Ben_. This was a shower room; showers were what you _did_ in them. “Thanks for um- checking on us Ben.”

“Yeah, Ben,” Jay dogpiled on, though his expression seemed less thankful than Chad’s. “Thanks for _looking out_ for us.”

“Hey, come on,” Chad admonished, which he wouldn’t normally do so but Jay was being a little mean, and Ben really had been trying to do a good thing. “We’re all friends here.”

“Are we?” Jay snorted, looking playful and cool but Chad couldn’t appreciate that like he normally would have because his stomach was too busy tying itself in knots, his pulse rushing as though the floor had been ripped out from under him.

“Sorry,” Chad muttered, turning back towards the spray. He felt stupid now, and that was what he got for assuming. How many times had his grandfather told him not to _assume_? “You’re right.”

“Hey, wait.” For whatever reason, Jay sounded uncertain. “I didn’t mean- I meant with Ben. I’m not friends with Ben.”

“What?” When Chad glanced back over his shoulder Jay was standing, looking at him with a concern he would usually try to cover, and even Ben had turned back to face them. “Everyone’s friends with Ben. He’s _Ben_.”

“We’re not friends, Jay?” Ben chose that moment to cut in, sounding appropriately wounded by this prospect. Chad allowed himself a second to revel in the fact that it wasn’t _him_ that had been thrown out before he ached for Ben all over again, because he certainly didn’t deserve to be ignored in any capacity.

“Sweet _evil_ ,” Jay groaned, letting his head roll back with a sigh. Chad had heard him say the phrase enough times that he didn’t take it to heart, but it was kind of funny to see the way Ben froze in concern. “We don’t do friends on the Isle, okay? We do _associates_. But since Evie’s all about trying to adapt to ‘the Auradon way’, we’re attempting to give this _friends_ thing a shot.” Jay’s shoulders slumped, as though it had taken everything out of him to explain that much. “For the record, Chad, you are definitely the first candidate for our friend trial. Ben-” He motioned vaguely over his shoulder to the other prince. “We’re still on the fence about.”

“But why?” Chad pressed. There was no world where _Chad_ should get preference over _Ben_ , who was the best and the kindest and the smartest and the future king of all kings. “Ben’s super helpful to you guys-”

“Which makes him an associate,” Jay explained.

“How do I move up?” Ben asked like he really cared, and he _did_ because it was Ben, and he wanted to do good for everyone. “I’d like to be friends with you guys, Jay. If I’m doing something wrong, I’d like to know about it.”

Jay let out another dramatic huff. “Look, you seem… fine, but your taste in girlfriends leaves a lot to be desired.”

“Don’t say that.” Between one moment and the next, Chad found himself across the room, dripping water in his wake so he could confront Jay head on. “Audrey’s amazing. Yeah, she can be a little rough for a princess and her views on the Isle are… dated.” And wrong. “But she’s also really generous.”

“Unless you’re from the Isle,” Jay pointed out, a flush of annoyance beginning to spread across his cheeks once he realized how close Chad was.

Chad felt his shoulders slump. “…I’m sorry,” he murmured, even though he knew it wasn’t his fault. 

It wasn’t really Audrey’s fault either, her grandparents were the ones that really detested the Isle. Her only mistake was taking their words to heart.

“Hey, no, that’s not your fault.” Jay’s hand settled on his wet shoulder, giving it a few awkward pats. “And it’s… nice, I guess, that you want to stand up for her, but that doesn’t change the fact that she treats us like shit.” He turned to point a finger in Ben’s direction, who also seemed to be flushed with frustration. “And since _you’re_ romantically involved with her, you’re staying an associate. But hey, maybe you can maybe move up to ally one day.”

“We’re _all_ allies though,” Chad pressed. “Maybe not Audrey, but the rest of us-”

“Look, I’ll believe it when I see it,” Jay said. “Now just… why don’t you finish showering so I can walk you to your room?”

“Oh.” Chad looked down at himself, as though remembering he was, in fact, still naked, like somewhere along the line all his post-practice sessions with Jay had left him comfortable enough in his skin that he’d sort of forgotten about it. “Yeah, okay.”

“I’ll talk to Audrey,” Ben said while Chad retreated back to his shower. “But even if she… she doesn’t treat you well, that doesn’t mean _I’m_ not going to, and that I don’t want to be your friend.”

“Yeah, I’ll keep that in mind,” Jay dismissed, because he could do that- he had Mal and Carlos and Evie and Tourney and didn’t need _Ben_ , didn’t need additional people to want him around like Chad did. “Later, Ben.”

There was a pause, and then Ben sighed. “…later, guys.”

Ben’s retreat, while expected, left them on an awkward note, and Chad was grateful to finish his shower a few minutes later, gladly hustling back into the locker room with Jay by his side. 

Even though they’d disagreed, Jay had stayed with him as promised and that-

That meant more to Chad than he could possibly express, though he couldn’t say as much. Wouldn’t, for risk of losing it altogether. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my goodness, guys!!! I was amazed by the enthusiastic response to the first chapter!! Thank you so much for your support and enthusiasm – I was worried about this one because it’s one of my slower-paced stories, but I can now safely say that fear it very much put to rest! 
> 
> So here are! Some exclamation marks! FOR DAYS!!!! ;D 
> 
> Story notes: 
> 
> Snow White is based in Germany, which is why the Hanoven language is essentially German. 
> 
> I also have James as Chad’s last name rather than ‘Charming’. It’s my personal preference that Charming is just a nickname. I got ‘James’ from the opening number of the Rogers and Hammerstein musical ‘Cinderella’.
> 
> I realize in the actual movie Jay doesn’t hesitate to bowl over Carlos, who has been his lifelong friend, so he probably wouldn’t extend the same kindness to Chad, a person he barely knows. For the sake of this story, Jay is respectful of Evie’s attachment to Chad, which was why he bothered to help him up.
> 
> A Tourney sled is essentially the same as a football sled, which are those things made for tackling practice, maybe (I don’t know, I do not sport).
> 
> To clarify, Chad’s ‘touch and go’ relationship with food is a result of anxiety rather than an actual eating disorder. 
> 
> The name ‘King Leopold’ comes from the show Once Upon a Time, which I have never watched, but it gave me a name I desperately needed so I’m grateful for that much.
> 
> Until next time :)


	3. A Lovely Night

“You’ve been hanging out with those VKs a lot, lately.”

Chad didn’t startle against his locker because he hadn’t realized Lonnie was addressing him until he looked up to see her hovering a mere foot away, her curious gaze locked on his face as though it held the secrets to the universe.

Just to be sure, Chad looked around to see if she could be talking to anyone else, because Lonnie had only ever interacted with him when Audrey was around, and Audrey was very much down the hall, hanging off Ben’s arm. Which hurt, in a selfish way, but once Chad got over his stupidity, he would be happy that Audrey was happy and that was all that mattered.

Chad cleared his throat, deftly switching out his textbooks before re-shouldering his backpack. “Excuse me?”

“The transfer students,” Lonnie clarified, falling in step with Chad as though this were a thing they did. “You’ve been eating lunch with them since they showed up.”

“Evie invited me,” Chad muttered, trying hard to keep from sounding defensive, but she _had_ asked. He hadn’t just shoved his way in without being invited. He knew people didn’t like having him around.

“Right,” Lonnie agreed, and Chad felt a small margin of tension ease from his shoulders. “But you hang out with them outside of that, too.”

“Yeah.” Chad didn’t know what she was getting at, he wasn’t really used to talking with people who weren’t Audrey. Or now, Evie and the others. “They’re nice.”

“ _Nice?_ ” Lonnie echoed, making a face as though this were some kind of impossible statement. “They’re nice?”

“I mean-” Chad felt his cheeks heat up in a flush. “They’re a little rough around the edges, but they really care about each other, and if you’re nice to them, they’re nice to you.” Except Evie, Evie was nice to everyone. “Evie’s really smart,” he decided to explain, because outside of Doug and the other VKs, no one seemed to get that. “And she’s really kind and generous. Queen Snow’s going to be really excited to meet her, I think.”

Chad paused when he found himself rambling, but Lonnie didn’t seem to mind so much, the expression on her face shifting into a wide, knowing smile. “Sounds like _someone_ has a crush.”

Someone- did she mean _him_? 

The implication made Chad blush, his pulse beginning to rise as he turned the idea over in his mind. He never thought he’d be able to love anyone outside of Audrey because Audrey was perfect, but Evie _was_ really nice to him, and seemed to enjoy having him around even when he wasn’t doing stuff for her. 

“Maybe,” Chad admitted, even though the answer was a definite _yes_ and Lonnie seemed to know that much by her gigantic smile. “Do you think- if I asked her out, do you think she’d say yes?”

“The way she looks at you?” Lonnie began with a wag of her brows. “I’m sure she’d _definitely_ leap at the chance.”

Oh. Oh _wow_. Lonnie thought Evie would actually- and Lonnie _knew_ things. She was almost as popular as Audrey, despite not being a princess. She had to be right.

“You know what?” Lonnie continued, a certain bounce in her step. “I think I’m going to join you guys for lunch today.”

“You should ask Mal,” Chad cautioned, still riding the high of Evie maybe-liking him. “She’s the boss. And if you ask, she’ll probably say yes. She likes polite people.”

“Huh,” Lonnie mused. “Who’d have thought it?”

Chad didn’t bother thinking into what that could mean because he was overcome with visions of _Evie_. He should- maybe he could ask her on a date. Maybe she’d even say _yes_. 

One thing at a time, though. It wouldn’t do to get ahead of himself like he had with Audrey. He’d known that had the potential to fail and he’d _still_ gotten overexcited. 

He would have to play it cool, which he might actually be incapable of doing, but for Evie, he would try.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Feeling emboldened by Lonnie’s advice, Chad worked up the courage to approach Mal the next day, managing to catch her just before classes started, looking especially bored with her battered sketchbook clutched to her chest.

“Hey um, Mal,” he greeted with a shy wave of his fingers. “Could I ask you something?”

Mal slowly turned to blink at him, as though she hadn’t expected him to broach a conversation with her, which was understandable – it _did_ take a lot of nerve for Chad to do this much, but for Evie, he wanted to try.

Eventually, she nodded her head. “Sure.”

“Um…” Chad flushed, somehow managing to fumble the speech he had practiced a dozen times in his mirror. “I was um- wondering- I- I wanted to know if I could ask Evie on a date. If- if that would be okay with you.”

Mal paused, her gaze seeming to bore into him like a physical thing, making him feel small and insignificant. “And that would entail…?”

“Oh.” Okay, she hadn’t turned him down yet. “Um, well. I was thinking I could take her fabric shopping – so we could get her sewing station set up. And then um- maybe take her to dinner. There’s this really nice restaurant that serves Hanoven food in the city – unless she’d rather try something new and um- then I…” Chad blushed, because the last part was likely dumb and he’d never once been able to convince Audrey to do it with him, but he thought he _might_ have a shot of it with Evie. “I was thinking we could go on a ride in a horse drawn carriage? Since she hasn’t done that before.” Chad himself had only done it a couple of times due to security concerns, but things were safer here in Auradon than they were back in Sardinia, so they should be able to manage it well enough.

Mal considered this in silence, her brows furrowed in thought. Eventually, she stared at him again. “And you’re asking me instead of Evie _because_ …?”

“Just- um-” Chad flushed. “The way Evie talks about you makes it sound like you’re in charge. So I- out of respect, I mean, I thought I would ask you. Obviously, I’m gonna ask her too, but um- I thought I would run it by you first.”

That, of all things, finally earned him a smile. “Okay,” Mal allowed. “You can ask her, _but_ one of us is going to come with you as a um…”

“Chaperone?” Chad offered.

Mal accepted the suggestion with a nod. “That. And just because you buy Evie stuff doesn’t mean she owes you anything, got it?”

“Of course not.” Chad blinked in surprise, honestly taken aback by the suggestion. “They’d be gifts. You don’t owe people for gifts.”

“Huh…” Mal chewed on her bottom lip, then shrugged. “I’m holding you to that. Now, go ask Evie.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Chad grinned, and just like every time Chad exhibited basic respect towards Mal, she offered a smile that got a little less menacing every day. 

-:-:-:-:-:-

Through the greatest stroke of fortune, Evie said _yes_ to Chad’s date. 

He hadn’t honestly expected to get that far, despite Mal’s permission and Lonnie’s well wishes, so he’d spent the days leading up to the date panicking, doing his best to make sure everything was in order so it could be as absolutely perfect as possible. This would be his first _real_ date out in public. Audrey had humored him through a lot of trial dates, but those had always been in private and he’d always performed terribly because she’d been annoyed by the end. 

This time, though, Chad would have a _chaperone_ to let him know if things were going wrong, and Evie seemed to like spending time with him, so maybe it would go well.

Chad tried to maintain that positive attitude when he walked towards Evie’s dorm room, two bouquets of roses in his hands. Flowers seemed like a solid enough beginning to a date. They were a standard, but would Evie dislike them because he hadn’t been original? Should he have gotten her jewelry? Audrey always preferred to pick out her own jewelry, she said Chad had terrible taste despite his very fashionable clothing line.

He almost felt like he was going to shake out of his skin by the time he knocked on Evie’s door, and was halfway through deciding to abandon the flowers altogether when Jay opened the door.

Jay, who was a boy. But he was one of Evie’s friends, so it made sense for him to be there, even if he seemed to be a little more tastefully dressed than he normally was. His hair was pulled into a braid and everything, and his arms were covered, which seemed like a thing Jay was entirely averse to.

“He’s here,” Jay called over his shoulder, pushing the door fully open before waving Chad on. He spared a confused look for the roses before deciding they weren’t worth investigating, and Chad politely followed the other teen inside. 

Evie called to him like a beacon, and he spotted her almost immediately admiring herself in her full-length mirror. She looked adorable as always in a navy-blue dress, her nails painted red to match her lips and a heart-shaped purse slung over one shoulder. She’d gone through the effort of dressing up _not for Chad_ , but for herself, but still, it was more than Audrey ever did, and Chad allowed himself to be excited by that. 

She turned once she caught sight of him in the reflection of the mirror, grinning with delight when she saw the bouquets in his hands. “Are those for me?”

“Yes.” Chad flushed, offering her the bundle of red roses he had picked especially for her. The others were a soft purple, because he hadn’t been sure which of the others would chaperone but Mal was the boss so it seemed safe to pick her favorite color. “And um- these are for our chaperone.”

“…thanks?” Carlos said, wandering over and deftly relieving Chad of the other bouquet.

Oh. Chad guessed he was the one coming with them today, though on second inspection, Chad realized that _all_ of the other VKs were dressed nicer than usual, as though trying to match Evie.

“We’re all accompanying you,” Mal informed him with a bored quirk of her brow. “We couldn’t decide who to leave behind so we’re all going.”

“Oh.” Chad blinked. Yeah, that made sense. “Okay.” It was different, but the more Chad thought about it, the more he liked it. “That sounds good.”

“Does it?” Jay asked, and then for whatever reason Carlos elbowed him. 

“Ignore them,” Evie advised, having settled her flowers into one of the vases that came with their suite. “Let’s get going, shall we?”

“Yeah.” Chad grinned, offering her his arm which she gladly took without even making a small annoyed face. It was- it was really great.

Chad had organized for a limo to take them towards one of the nicer outdoor shopping malls that afternoon, and it was worth it to see Carlos press his face against the window, occasionally batting Jay’s arm to point his attention towards something. Chad did his best to explain different landmarks, conscious of Evie posed perfectly beside him, watching him with a look of what could have been fond interest. 

Her gaze widened when they pulled up to the fabric shop, and Chad was grateful that Audrey had taught him how to appropriately budget for shopping dates because he decided then and there that he was going to get Evie anything she wanted, not even so she’d like him, but because he wanted too. He wanted that look of wonder and open appreciation to follow her home so she could celebrate whenever she wanted like the princess she was. 

It was with a lighter step that Chad exited the limo, offering Evie his hand and then repeating the process for the others, Mal taking it as though it were her due while Carlos just sort of looked at it in confusion before ducking out on his own. Jay was last and easily knocked Chad’s hand aside, though he punched him lightly on the shoulder as though to make up for it, which was good enough for Chad. 

When the others were settled, Chad offered Evie his arm, politely walking her into Chad’s favorite fabric shop in Auradon city. “I um… I know you didn’t have much when you came over from the Isle – and I um- I wanted to try and make up for that, because you deserve nice things. So-” He motioned to the racks around them filled to the brim with bolts of fabric. “Pick whatever you like. A seamstress should have the proper tools for the job.”

“Just to be clear,” Mal drawled, strolling up beside them with a bored look on her face. “You’re paying for this, right?”

“Of course.” Chad had already told Mal that much, though the reply seemed to make Evie relax, which he realized was the point in the first place. Mal was _so smart_. “I’m the one that asked her on a date, so it’s my job to pay for everything.”

“Perfect,” Mal deadpanned, awkwardly patting Chad’s shoulder before she wandered away. “I’m gonna go make sure the boys don’t get into trouble. You two have fun.”

“We will,” Chad promised, and based on the growing smile on Evie’s face, he knew that was true.

Fabric shopping with Evie was easily one of the most exciting things Chad had ever experienced. It was fun to be able to discuss different fabric types with someone who understood what he was talking about, fun to look at a fabric and then fill the sketchbook Evie had in her purse with a few rough designs. They bought an assortment of fabrics in red, royal blue, and navy – Evie’s colors, along with a multitude of gold accents Evie insisted she didn’t need but her eyes lit up at the sight of so Chad decided otherwise. And then Chad had found a distressed purple fabric and soon they were designing outfits for Mal, and then Jay when Chad found a red sort of pleather and then there was this black and white patterned fabric that would be _perfect_ for Carlos so they had to get that too.

In the end, Mal had to drag them towards the register because Jay would not sit still for one more fabric comparison against his skin, even though they could make him _so many more outfits_ and Chad had a small stockpile of fabric shipped directly to his room so he could start making new clothes for them as soon as he got back. 

Evie had even insisted on getting some baby blue fabric too, which had confused Chad for a few minutes before Carlos pointedly cleared his throat and motioned towards Chad’s light blue button-up shirt, which was the signature color of his mother, or so he’d been told. 

_That_ in itself was enough to make Chad blush horribly, because he hadn’t expected Evie to get anything from _him_ , and then Mal was dragging out a few other bolts of light blue fabric and Jay held them up to his face and put on his poshest-sounding voice to say they _‘brought out his eyes_ ’ and no one protested or even laughed, which made Chad think it might be true.

When they were done, Chad had the packages delivered to Evie’s room, and it was still cheaper than a shopping trip with Audrey. When he checked his watch, he realized they still had some time to kill before their dinner reservations, so on a whim, Chad herded them into an arts supply store where Mal immediately fell in love. She didn’t _outwardly_ show it, but she was definitely interested this time, making Jay push around a cart for her so she could inspect everything with a detached expression that did nothing to hide her inner excitement. Evie was happy to latch onto his arm during the process, leaning into his side as she watched her friend with a look of fondness that made Chad feel warm inside, to the point where he had to actively focus on tearing his gaze away so he wouldn’t stare at her. He was pretty sure Carlos caught him a few times, but the guy cut Chad a break, choosing instead to add a few more items to Mal’s cart.

To keep it fair, Chad also dragged them to an electronics store (for Carlos) and then to a sporting goods store for Jay so he could get his own personal set of Tourney gear as well as an array of exercise clothes, because for all that Chad and Evie enjoyed sewing, athletic gear was very much outside their comfort zone.

By the time they made it to the restaurant, they had built up a fair appetite, and Chad was practically vibrating with excitement. He’d managed to reserve a private room for them on the upper floor of the restaurant, allowing them a scenic view of a nearby park. They’d be able to watch the sun set over the course of dinner, and in their private room they wouldn’t have to constantly be on guard from other people, the way they were at school. It was why it didn’t matter that they had an additional two people in their party – they had the room to themselves, so it was all good.

“It’s just us up here,” Chad informed them when he pulled out Evie’s chair and then Mal’s. He would have done the guys’ as well but Jay gave him an amused look of warning while Carlos stubbornly crawled into his own chair, spending the first five minutes of the meal perched on the seat in a small crouch before he eventually settled into it properly. “So you don’t have to worry about being bothered.”

Mal cocked a thin brow at him. “Perks up being a prince, huh?”

“Actually, it was for Evie,” Chad admitted with a flush. “When I told them the crown princess of Hanover was going to be part of the reservation, they gladly made accommodations.” He turned to address Evie specifically. “They’re very excited to host you.”

“Me?” Evie said, like she couldn’t quite believe it.

“Of course, you,” Mal declared with a smirk. “This is food from _your_ kingdom, right?”

“…right,” Evie repeated, a slow grin spreading across her face. It may have just been a trick of the candlelight, but it seemed like moisture was building behind her eyes. “ _My_ kingdom.”

“We should visit there over the break,” Chad offered while their waiters scurried to unfold everyone’s napkins and drape them across their laps, offering tasteful menus with printed font emphasized in generous swirls. “Or, I mean- you should. You guys, I mean.” Chad finally got a public date and he was already trying to invite himself on future trips. He could be so _stupid_. “Queen Snow would be thrilled to see you. My grandfather says she’s tied up trying to act as a neutral party in a negotiation up near the wall which is why she hasn’t visited you yet, but she should be free by winter break.”

“She’d really want to see Evie?” Jay asked, splitting his focus between the menu and keeping a suspicious eye on the waiters. “Even though her mom’s- _you know_.”

“Evie has nothing to do with her mother’s crimes,” Chad explained carefully, the same way he did when Audrey tried to raise a fuss about the Isle kids. “And once Queen Snow spends like, five minutes with her, she’ll see how smart and kind and talented Evie is and love her.”

He said this as though it was an undisputable truth, because for him, it was.

“You really think that,” Mal said, but it wasn’t a question. She was smiling too, that small, reserved one she offered sometimes that made goosebumps break out over Chad’s arms. “Alright, Chaddy – we’ll believe you for this one. But if you’re wrong-”

“I’m not.” Chad knew he shouldn’t interrupt but he also wanted Mal to know he was sure, and certainty required a particular amount of daring. “Queen Snow is one of the nicest people in the land, just like Evie – there’s no way they won’t love each other.”

“Have you met her?” Carlos asked, prodding at his water glass carefully. It was a goblet-style option, thin and elegant, but distinctly different from anything he’d seen before.

“A few times,” Chad admitted. “Her husband died around the same time as my mom, so even though she was busy running her kingdom, she would make time to occasionally visit.” Chad didn’t mention the part where he sort of pretended _she_ was his mother on occasion, because he had a mother, and even though she was dead and he didn’t remember her, it didn’t mean she was any less important. “She was always very nice. And not because I’m a prince – she treats everyone that way.”

Everyone except Audrey’s family, whom she always seemed sort of distant around, but Chad assumed that was his own personal misunderstanding. Audrey had explained to him many times that he wasn’t good at comprehending social intricacies. 

“Enough,” Jay declared, apparently having grown bored. “Let’s focus on something else.”

“Like food,” Mal decided, frowning at her menus. “…I don’t know what half this stuff is.”

“Oh.” Chad flushed. “I could order for you?”

She leveled a considering glare at him. “As long as you don’t fuck with me.”

“I would not,” Chad promised, and then used the knowledge he had accumulated over a few weeks’ worth of lunches to order meals and appetizers he thought they might enjoy. 

Through a giant stroke of luck, he chose well, and everyone seemed to enjoy their food. Mal especially appreciated being waited on, even though Carlos seemed more skittish towards the prospect. They made it through the meal with the same ease they did their lunches, Jay and Evie trading off telling a few stories from the Isle (Evie said they were ‘watered down’ – though that in itself made Chad worry because they were still pretty rough). 

Dessert was a rousing success, Chad ordering a multitude of options for them to share – from black forest cake to käsekuchen, apple strudel to rote grütze. When they finished, they were all warm and full, Evie grinning at him with that particular smile that seemed so very special, like _he_ was the one to grant her this special moment when it was really the food and her friends. Still, he was happy to take some credit for it, if only so he could revel in her attention. 

“This um- last part is a bit of a surprise,” Chad admitted as he led them towards the park, sharing a knowing look with Mal who merely rolled her eyes, but she was still smiling, glad to hook her arms through Jay and Carlos’ elbows so they flanked her. “We don’t have to do it if you don’t want to, but I thought you might like it.”

Evie’s gaze seemed to be shining in the moonlight. “Based on what you’ve done so far, I trust that.”

“Oh.” _Wow_ , she trusted him. Trusted his judgement. He’d taken her on a date and she was _happy_. “Thank you.”

It seemed to make her even more pleased that he acknowledged the immensity of this. “You’re welcome, Chad.”

He rode the high of that all the way to the open-roof carriage, waving towards it with a dramatic sweep of his arm. “To end the evening, I thought we could take a ride around the park.”

“Oh.” Evie pressed a hand against her lips, though even that wasn’t enough to cover her smile. “That sounds lovely.”

Chad swallowed down his question of _‘It does?’_ because he’d half expected Evie to reject him the way Audrey always had, like maybe Chad’s planning was just fundamentally flawed, but no, she was happy to climb into the carriage, Chad dutifully helping each of their chaperones in as well. That time, Carlos _did_ take his hand, even squeezed it, though his gaze was stubbornly averted, and Jay took it too, but that seemed more or less so he could pull Chad up into the carriage behind him. 

With the others settled, Chad realized there wasn’t a spot next to Evie, which was a bit of a disappointment but he didn’t want to push his luck. He’d already had a lot of good things that day and besides, Mal was really cool in her own reserved way, and Chad was lucky to sit next to her.

He tried to show that much through his smile before waving for the coachman to start their tour, grateful to take in the light, evening air. 

“So,” Mal said a few minutes into the ride, turning to address Chad head on, one arm curled over the back of their seat. “What are your intentions with Evie?”

“ _Mal_ ,” Evie groaned, giving her friend an exasperated look. “Can’t we just enjoy this?”

“It’s a fair question,” Chad said before Mal could reply. It wasn’t a question he’d expected to answer that day, but he’d still been expecting it to come eventually. “I um… I like Evie a lot, and… I would like to pursue a romantic relationship with her, if she found that agreeable,” A brief surge of panic went through Chad’s chest. “But if she doesn’t, I’d still really like to be friends.”

“ _Why_?” Mal pressed, eyes narrowing dangerously. “Why Evie? You could have your pick of any princess, but you chose her.”

“Um.” Chad was painfully aware of Evie’s gaze on him, of Carlos’ quiet interest and Jay’s lazy inspection. “You’re new so you haven’t realized that um- _that_ isn’t true.” He hated having to spell it out for her but Mal didn’t seem to get it, which was what made Chad blush more. “Most monarchs don’t want their kids to hang out with me, so I don’t ‘have my pick’, so to speak.”

There was a tense silence, but eventually Jay broke it. “Is that why your last girlfriend wanted to keep things private?”

“Right.” Chad flushed. “My family’s… accident prone. My mom died when I was born, which was sad but…” He swallowed, because he didn’t like talking about the next part, liked alluding to it even less. “When I was eight my dad had a bad accident. After that, kids stopped talking to me.”

Upon explaining this, the others just sort of stared at him, to the point where Chad wished he hadn’t spoken up at all, wished that he’d lied, because now _they_ wouldn’t want to talk to him either. Just like Audrey said.

“That’s stupid,” Mal declared suddenly. “Your parents had accidents so they won’t talk to you? That’s fucking ludicrous.”

“I don’t blame them.” Chas shrugged. “My grandfather really tightened up security after that, and then the few times I did go out none of the other kids… well, I got used to being by myself.”

Except for Audrey, because Audrey was generous and kind and more than Chad deserved.

There was another beat, and then Evie moved across the carriage, maneuvering her way into the small space on Chad’s other side. He shifted to accommodate her, even though that brought him closer to Mal. He didn’t think the purple-haired teen minded though, more content to watch things unfold.

Evie grabbed both his hands, cradling them gently between hers much like she had the first day she met him, when she made things seem so much more doable instead of despairing, like they had been before. “That’s _their_ loss, Chad,” she pledged, gaze so determined that Chad didn’t doubt it. “There’s nothing wrong with you, and I’d be proud to date you.”

“Really?” Chad had never hoped for as much, had expected toleration and to be given _pride_ made him breathless with the possibilities.

“Really,” Evie confirmed, squeezing his fingers.

Mal cleared her throat. “Just so long as you understand-”

“That you’re Evie’s special people,” Chad finished with a soft grin, because that much he got, finally. Mal, Jay, and Carlos were Evie’s Audrey’s – closer than family and more precious than anything else, and Chad couldn’t forget that. “You come first- I’m okay with that.”

Mal aimed an unreadable look on him. “…keep thinking like that and you might work your way up to ‘special person’ too.”

It was too wonderful a thing to consider, though Chad let it bolster him all the same. His heart seemed to soar when Evie guided his arm around her shoulders, her smile broadening when Mal did the same with his other arm, and then both of them were leaning into his side while Jay more or less forced Carlos to curl against him over the smaller teen’s protests (they seemed to be on principle, because Carlos seemed to like being smooshed against Jay’s side, happy to nuzzle into his bulk). 

When the carriage ride ended at Auradon Prep, Chad felt like he was walking on air, and he allowed that feeling to overtake him all the way back to Evie and Mal’s room. The others ducked inside without a second glance, though Chad held behind with Evie, waiting a painful moment before gingerly taking her hand and pressing his lips against her knuckles. Unlike most princesses, Evie had callouses on her fingers, but Chad thought that made her more unique, an experience of art rather than a perfect recreation, and he found himself falling for her all over again. 

Maybe he would be able to survive without Audrey. He didn’t know how long he’d be able to keep Evie satisfied, but he’d try to do his best for as long as possible.

“I had a wonderful night,” he said when he straightened back up. “Thank you for saying yes and um- I hope you sleep well.”

Evie gave him a puzzled look. “You’re not coming inside?”

“Could I?” Chad’s heart began to beat faster. “I didn’t want to intrude.”

The smile Evie aimed at him was nothing less than brilliant. “Consider this an invitation.”

With her hand in his, Evie pulled him inside, deftly sidestepping a trail of miscellaneous clothing. Mal had ditched her shoes and accessories the moment they’d walked in the door it seemed, and was-

Chad averted his gaze with a flush when he realized she was stripping _out of her dress_ right there, and was only vaguely aware of the laugh Evie muffled into her palm. 

“Dude,” Jay chided, trading out his own clothes for some of the sweatpants they had bought that day. “I have literally seen you naked.”

“That’s _different_ ,” Chad pressed, and across the room, he saw Carlos perk up in interest, the young De Ville content to merely strip out of his coat and shoes. “We have the same stuff.”

“When was this?” Evie asked, but her smile was closer to amused rather than _looming threat_ , like Audrey’s would have been. Audrey probably wouldn’t have appreciated Jay keeping Chad company when he showered, she would have considered it a ‘sissy’ thing even though it wasn’t supposed to be _weird_. 

“After Tourney practice,” Chad explained, wishing he’d stop blushing.

Behind them, Mal cackled. “Well, that explains why Jay’s late so often.”

“I am _not_ ,” Jay huffed, pulling on an Agrabah Tourney shirt with a happy sigh.

“We’ll table this discussion for later,” Evie giggled, gently prodding Chad’s shoulder. “Could you unzip me?”

“And _only_ unzip her,” Jay added, as though Chad would dare do anything else.

He was pretty sure both Mal _and_ Carlos were laughing at Chad when he undid the zipper on Evie’s dress because he spent the entire time staring at the ceiling, knowing he _definitely_ shouldn’t sneak a peek at Evie’s underwear because that would make him a pervert and no one liked _those_.

“So cute,” Mal muttered, and Chad didn’t know if she was talking about Evie or something else.

Thankfully, Jay herded Chad over towards the girl’s living room area before he could properly pass out from embarrassment, and Carlos gave him a breakdown of the video game setup so Chad could ignore the fact his sort-of girlfriend was getting changed behind him. It was nice and entirely different than Chad was used to – Chad who had only seen video games in passing, who wasn’t caught up on the movies that seemed to be pop culture stables. He wondered if this was what it was like to have friends – if this was how sleepovers began (not that he’d get to do _that_ but still, he could dream). 

It got better when they all sort of piled onto the couch, Evie curling into Chad’s side while Mal nudged Carlos _into his lap_ , and the young tech wizard did so with a few grumbles, his cheeks tinged with a faint blush. His comfort was worth Chad’s legs falling partially asleep, and it was fun to watch him work his way through some kind of puzzle game, the rest of them chiming in potential solutions the few times he got stuck. 

All-in-all, it was the perfect ending to the perfect day, so much so that Chad had to literally _drag_ himself away from their welcoming pile of happiness so he could get back to his room before curfew.

“I’ll walk you back,” Jay offered with the same sort of nonchalance he used after Tourney.

Mal rolled her eyes. “ _We’ll_ walk you back,” she said, and then, true enough, the whole group of them escorted him back to his dorm room, Evie holding his hand the entire way.

“I had a lovely night,” she said, pressing a kiss to _his_ knuckles, and Chad was so flustered he almost missed the handle on his door to open it. Only Carlos’ quick fingers were enough to save him, and he tried to let that wave of joy overwhelm that minor humiliation.

“Thank you,” Chad said just before he closed the door, sad to see them go but so _happy_ that they’d stayed. “Thank you, Mal.” 

“You’re welcome, slick,” she said with a click of her tongue, and then just like that they trooped back down the hallway, leaving Chad alone on cloud nine, happier than he’d ever been.

So _that_ was dating.

He hoped they could have a hundred more just like that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for the generous outpouring of support and feedback! I’m really glad you guys are enjoying this one so much!! Seriously, you guys are the best. From epics to smaller, more personal stories, you’re very supportive, and I am eternally grateful for this fact :D
> 
> Just a heads up – there’s looking to be some heavy rainfall in my area later this week, so there’s a chance I might lose power. If I don’t update on Wednesday/Thursday, that’s likely what happened, and I’ll do my best to update and respond to comments as soon as things are rectified. I probably won’t lose power, but just in case, I wanted you guys to be on the up and up ^_^ 
> 
> Story Notes:
> 
> The chapter title one thousand percent comes from the Rogers and Hammerstein musical ‘Cinderella’. I just couldn’t help myself. The song ‘A Lovely Night’ features Ella and the Stepsisters waxing poetic about a perfect night at the ball. It’s very cute, I highly recommend giving it a listen to if you get the chance :D
> 
> Until next time :)


	4. Break it Down to Build it Stronger

“You’re in a good mood.”

It took Chad a moment to realize that Aziz was talking to him, because usually the Agrabah prince hung out with Ben and Herodontus – the son of Hercules – and had little time to spare for anyone else, least of all Chad. Not that the blond minded by any means, he was used to being alone after Tourney practice, though Jay and surprisingly Carlos, as of late, had taken to keeping him company.

Chad paused cleaning off his Tourney equipment to grin at Aziz. “I took Evie on a date this weekend.” It was nice to _finally_ talk to someone about it, someone who wasn’t Doug, who was obligated to listen to Chad out of roommate politeness. “I think she might be my girlfriend.”

Carlos looked up from where he was wiping mud off his jersey. “She _is_ your girlfriend.”

“Oh.” Chad felt his smile tug wider. “That’s even better.”

“I’d heard about that,” Aziz noted conversationally, a soft grin on his face. “Except didn’t you take all of her friends out as well?”

“Yep.” Oh wow, Evie was his girlfriend. He had a _girlfriend_. “They chaperoned.”

Aziz froze, then shared a look with Malvin – the son of Queen Merida. It was Malvin that spoke up next. “…seems to me like they were trying to get free food out of ye.”

“No.” Chad made a face; Carlos was literally _right_ next to him. “They were _chaperoning_.”

“You only need one person to chaperone,” Aziz pointed out.

Chad sighed. “They are far away from everything they’ve ever known, and as far as _they_ know, I could be a crazy person. It makes sense for them not to split up. There’s safety in numbers.”

Now Malvin was the one who was frowning. “It’s Auradon. What do they have to be afraid of here?”

“Anything?” Chad offered, not liking how Carlos was tensing up beside him. He was sort of glad Jay had ducked out of the locker room early to help Evie cram for a test. “Evil didn’t originate from the Isle, guys, it came from all our kingdoms.”

“But didn’t stuff die down when they segregated all the villains?” Herodontus spoke up, and it was then that Chad realized they had the attention of the majority of the team, which was something Chad had little experience with and even less desire to endure.

“The appearance of major villains died down, sure,” Chad said with a shrug. “But petty criminals get sent to the Isle all the time. The existence of the Isle didn’t cause a rapid fall in crime rates, it just caused them to be actively reported on less.”

It was something Chad and Fairuza had figured out over the course of their proposal creation, and it was something that settled very poorly with Chad, because that wasn’t how efficient criminal systems _worked_.

“What?” Aziz shared a confused look with Malvin, and then when he realized there would be no clarification there, he turned his attention to Ben, who was just sort of standing there. “Is that true?”

Ben tensed under their combined gazes. “…yes. The council decided not to publicize basic crimes though-” 

“So you can pretend you live in a goody two-shoes society,” Carlos grumbled, _slamming_ his locker shut. “That’s bullshit. You just swept it all under the rug and decided it wasn’t a problem anymore.”

Ben’s expression fell. “Carlos-”

“No.” The young De Ville shook his head. “You guys don’t know what it’s like. Those petty criminals? They’re what the major villains thrive on. _They’re_ the ones that get held up like a lamb for the slaughter. And you guys don’t even care because you’re so determined to create this vision of a perfect world that doesn’t even exist.”

“Carlos,” Chad stepped towards the younger student, wishing he’d never spoken up in the first place. “We’re gonna make it better.”

“I know _you_ are,” Carlos snapped, seeming to curl in on himself. “But what about the rest of them? When are they gonna see us as something more than an accumulation of our parents’ mistakes?”

“No one thinks that, Carlos-”

“ _No_.” This was almost a growl, and it shook Chad with its ferocity. “ _You_ don’t think that, Chad. _Ben_ , doesn’t think it. Everyone else-” He turned his glare on the rest of the team, who all seemed to shrink back. “-are just as bad as the people who locked us up in the first place, letting us survive off your garbage like it’s some kind of gift.”

With that, he stormed out of the room, still clad in his grass-stained Tourney uniform. 

With a low curse, Chad hastily snatched up his backpack and charged after him, following Carlos’ meandering path through the woods. It took a while for Carlos to stop running, and when Chad managed to catch up to him, the young De Ville was curled high in the branches of a tree, his arms wrapped around his knees as though it could shield him from the world. 

Chad knew well enough that it couldn’t.

“Carlos!” Chad tossed his backpack aside, wasting no time as he scrambled up the trunk of the tree. “Carlos, I’m sorry.”

“Shut _up_ ,” Carlos groaned, but he seemed more frustrated at the world than anything else.

“No, I _am_ sorry,” Chad pressed, keeping his focus above him so he couldn’t see how high he was going. “I should have known that hanging with me wouldn’t be good for your reputation. If I’d been a _real_ friend I would have gotten Ben to hang out with you – and maybe we still can. Once we get the public to see you’re kids just like us-”

“Don’t be _stupid_ ,” Carlos snapped, breaking one hand away from his legs so he could latch onto Chad’s shirt once he drew close enough, keeping a hand on the blond until he was more or less perched beside him. “You’re the nicest person we’ve ever met – you think you get to back out _now_? I don’t care what the hell Auradon has against you – you’re _ours_ , okay?”

“Okay?” Chad didn’t know what else to say, didn’t know how else to respond, which he supposed worked out when he heard Ben’s voice calling from below.

“Guys?” Even from this distance, Chad could see the worry on Ben’s face, his hair sticking up in every direction and his face flushed from the exertion of chasing after them. “Are you okay?”

“Go away, Ben!” Carlos shouted back, seeming to huddle in on himself.

Even Chad could have told him that wouldn’t have worked, that Ben was too dedicated to being _good_ to consider backing down. Chad wasn’t surprised when Ben started to climb up the trunk of the tree, looking unfairly regal and collected all the while.

“ _Damnit_ ,” Carlos hissed under his breath, tucking his chin against his knees. “ _This_ guy.”

“I know,” Chad murmured, low enough that only Carlos could hear him. “But he _is_ good, Carlos. He wants to help, if he can.”

“What happened?!” Ben shouted before Carlos could respond. “Has someone been bothering you?”

“ _No_.” Carlos flinched as though he’d been wounded, and Chad immediately chastised himself for not contacting Evie or one of the others the moment Carlos had sprinted from the locker room, because he deserved so much more than Chad. At least Ben was here now. “No, they keep telling me- they keep saying how I’m _‘not bad’_ or _‘cool’_ for an _Isle kid_ and that I’m _‘surprisingly smart’_ considering who my mom is and shit like that.”

“Carlos.” Ben’s expression crumpled all over again. “They didn’t mean…”

“Yes, they _did_ ,” Carlos snarled, body wracked with tension. “It doesn’t matter what we do here, we’ll always be seen as Isle scum.”

“But you’re _not_ ,” Chad pressed, because Carlos needed to understand that. “None of you are! You’re so smart and clever – you’ve already tested up into Honors classes and you’ll probably start taking college correspondence courses next semester just to keep you challenged. Jay is a naturally gifted athlete with an eye for strategy and Mal’s hand for art is without compare and Evie-”

“I know,” Carlos sniffed, but there was a smile tugging at his lips. “You think she’s the sun and the moon and the stars.”

“You _all_ are.” Chad reached up and carefully squeezed his hand, hearing Ben hold his breath just beneath them. “You’re _all_ amazing. And I know it’s not going to get better overnight because there’s a lot of dumb prejudice that’s built up over the years, but you guys get to show Auradon what we’ve all been missing. That while we banished a lot bad to the Isle, you’re the good that came from it. And you and every other kid on that Isle deserves to be here, deserves to have a future doing _whatever you want_.”

“And nothing your parents did could ever affect that,” Ben chimed in, sounding steadfast and true. “That’s what we want for you guys, Carlos, and if anyone bothers you- if anyone tries to hinder that – _please_ tell me, so I can fix it.”

“You guys are so stupid,” Carlos mumbled, but he seemed to be smiling, rubbing at his eyes with the back of his hand. “Chasing me up a tree.”

“It was an important chase,” Chad said with as much solemnity as he could muster. “You’re my friend, Carlos.”

“And you’re _my_ friend too,” Ben added. “Even if I’m not yours, yet.”

“You might be, after this,” Carlos admitted. “Even if you have shitty taste in girlfriends.”

“Agree to disagree,” Ben said, and that, of course, seemed to be that.

-:-:-:-:-:-

“Hey, um- Chad?” Jane approached him in between classes, chewing on her bottom lip with a look of concern that seemed a bit more intense than her usual shyness. “Evie’s your girlfriend, right?”

“Right.” Chad grinned. He liked it when people said that, because that meant he was Evie’s _boyfriend_ which meant she had chosen him _on purpose_.

“Well…” Jane tugged at her hair nervously. “I saw her run into the bathroom by the auditorium and she seemed really upset.” She looked away again. “I thought you’d like to know.”

“Thanks, Jane.” Chad closed his locker, feeling his good mood get replaced with worry. “You were right. I’m just gonna-”

“Go,” she advised, and Chad did just that, taking off down the hallway and ducking into the next building until he found the secluded girls’ bathroom near the auditorium. Because this area was so far removed from most classes – aside from the performing arts electives – there was no one nearby, which made sense for Evie to retreat there if she was feeling bad.

Chad tentatively knocked on the door, and when he leaned close to it, he heard a few sniffles spill through the door. “Evie? It’s Chad.”

After that it was _silence_ , but Chad trusted Jane and _someone_ was definitely crying in there so Chad decided to take the hit of potentially being labeled as a pervert and pushed his way into the bathroom, and a second later he was glad he did.

Evie was frantically dabbing at her face by the far mirror, an array of makeup spilled out on the counter in front of her as she tried to fix what she must have cried away.

“Evie?” Chad crossed to her even though he didn’t know what to do. He fumbled for his handkerchief and passed it over, Evie taking it with a surprised blink before her face crumpled further. “Hey- hey, it’s okay. Or, we’ll make it okay, alright? Don’t worry about class, we’ll get there when we get there.”

Chad had enough practice forging late notes on Audrey’s behalf that he could easily do so for Evie, would gladly do it if it made her seem a little less tense.

“I’m _sorry_ ,” Evie gushed, and Chad was so unused to hearing the words aimed his way that he found himself frozen while fat tears rolled down her face. “I’m sorry, I’m supposed to be perfect and here I am just- _a mess_.”

“You’re not a mess,” Chad rushed to assure her, because this, at least, he knew. “And you _are_ perfect. The way you cry is perfect because it’s you and you _are_ perfect, and even if you weren’t, you would still be the best because you’re kind and nice and have really great friends.”

Evie let out a laugh that was partly a sob and Chad wrapped an arm around her, knew it was the right thing when she seemed to lean into it. “Only you would think that.”

“Ben thinks that too,” Chad insisted, because Ben was a smart guy. “And the whole world will think that once they get to know you.” 

Evie tensed again, and that time, Chad felt it. “I’m sorry,” she murmured again, sinking into his chest. “I’m sorry, it’s just so hard, with all of them watching all the time. And I know I mess up and I’m not as good as I could be-”

“You’re _perfect_ just the way you are,” Chad interrupted, needing her to understand that. “Mess ups and all. They’re what make up Evie.”

“No one wants a princess that _slouches_ ,” she pressed. “Or isn’t lovely all the time.”

“I do.” Chad squeezed her tight. “I do because it would be _you_ who was slouching, and I also don’t think you’re ever capable of _not_ being lovely. You’re lovely right now.”

“No I’m not,” Evie insisted, but she was laughing too, a sort of helpless thing. “My face is all splotchy.”

“And they are very lovely splotches,” Chad said, feeling his cheeks dust in a light blush. “The very loveliest. Every other princess would be jealous of your splotches.”

“ _Stop_ ,” Evie groaned, but she was giggling, which made Chad think her objection was more on principle than anything else. “Stop, Chad. I just… I don’t want to disappoint you.”

“ _Evie_.” Chad buried his face against her very lovely hair and she didn’t even shudder away, seemed to melt into it more than anything else. “I am a very hard person to disappoint. You would have to like, commit some very serious crimes without due cause and even then I’d still be on the fence because you’re _you_ , and you love fashion and reading and make a room better just by entering it. And if anyone has told you differently, they’re just jealous.”

“You really think that,” Evie said, and she seemed to almost marvel at it, a wavering smile splitting across her face. “…my mother said a prince could never love me if I wasn’t perfect.”

“I’m going to have to respectfully disagree with your mom, then,” Chad said. “Because you are perfectly loveable no matter what condition you are in, but most importantly, you already _are_ perfect just by being you. You don’t have to have perfect posture or etiquette or have everyone in the world like you so that you can be perfect, you just have to be yourself, and you already do that, so…” He trailed off with a swallow, wondering if it would be okay for him to kiss her hair. He wouldn’t, just to play it safe. “Perfection achieved.”

There was a beat, and then Evie properly turned into him, wrapping her arms around him in a hug that Chad gladly reciprocated, glad to offer any measure of comfort to his girlfriend.

“You know, Mal says that too,” Evie murmured, resting her head against his shoulder.

“Mal is a very wise lady,” Chad hummed. “You should listen to her.”

Evie laughed again, and then squeezed him tight. “…I like you a lot, you know?”

Chad thought he couldn’t get happier simply holding Evie in his arms, and then she had to go and say things like _that_ and make his eyes feel all warm and watery.

“I like you too, Evie,” he whispered, worried that his voice my break if he spoke any louder. “Very much.”

“And… and you’ll let me know if I start disappointing you?” Evie pressed, as though that was a thing that could ever happen.

But Chad understood the importance of communication, so he nodded. “I will, so long as you let me know if I start disappointing _you_.”

“I don’t think that’s possible,” she decided and Chad had to keep his breaths steady so he wouldn’t start crying from happiness.

“I feel the same way about you,” he admitted.

Evie laughed again, and it was watery but _strong_ , and Chad was happy to cradle her against his chest until she seemed closer to composed again, until she could pull away with a wide smile and no lingering tears.

“You’re a good boyfriend, Chad,” she said as she turned back towards the mirror, squeezing his hand one last time before she turned on the water, wetting a paper towel so she could carefully wipe away her tear tracks. 

“And you’re the perfect girlfriend, Evie,” Chad said, and it was so worth it for the brilliant smile it earned him, knowing he did that for _her_. It made him think that things could actually be okay in the long run. Maybe they could do this. 

There was only one way to know for sure.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Chad kept Evie company while she got herself back in order, sharing small talk about the conversations he’d eavesdropped from other students because it made her laugh. He also sent Jane a thank you text and ordered a new supply of the makeup Evie was using to touch herself up – her current batch was obviously secondhand and abandoned to the Isle, and she deserved better than that by a long shot, she was a _princess_. 

He'd finished forging their excuse notes by the time she was ready to face the world again, and they took the time to drop them off with their respective teachers before moving onto lunch, walking hand-in-hand without a care for who saw them. 

Sometimes, Chad dared to think he was the luckiest guy in the world, which might not be true but-

In that moment, that was what it felt like.

And he reveled in it.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Eventually, Evie started making clothes for _him_.

Chad could hardly believe it, for all that he’d hoped for such a thing, he hadn’t actually expected to _get it_. He’d seen the creations Evie had made for all of her friends – new vests for Jay and jackets for Carlos, gloves and trendy pants for Mal and dresses for herself. Chad had loved each and every one of them and was sure to inform Evie as much, complimenting her fabric choices and the cut and the styling, happy to listen to her gush about her creative process. 

With a little encouragement, Chad had gotten her permission to set up a blog that featured her fashion, Carlos content to code the website on his laptop. The young De Ville didn’t always like modeling the clothes, but that was what Evie’s dress form was for (Chad had gotten her a few male models to go with the school-supplied female form, so Evie could show off Carlos’ clothes on _that_ ). 

Chad did his best to promote Evie’s stuff on his own social network, something he usually reserved for his own clothing line, but Evie was so very talented and thoughtful and he wanted the entire world to see how special she was. 

Mal found the entire thing _adorable_ , which Chad guessed meant he’d done something right.

He liked doing right things, for Mal. Maybe more than he should.

Chad was used to Evie making clothes for her friends, but then came the day she made _him_ a jacket. It was beautiful, modeled after the Auradon Prep letter jackets but in light blue and grey, armed with yellow accents to represent all the colors of Sardinia. Chad loved it so much that he might have started tearing up then and there, which still seemed to make Carlos and Jay and even Mal a little uncomfortable, but Evie just hugged him, glad he enjoyed his gift so much. 

It made Chad want to speed up his own projects, make new dresses for Evie (and of course new clothes for the others because they were her special people, and he couldn’t leave them out) while she made new clothes for _him_ – edgy pants and stylish button-ups, and it made Chad so very happy that he thought his heart would burst.

“Looking good,” Lonnie would say when they were in the lunch line, making a show of looking Chad over, her gaze settling on his butt in jest, because um- no one ever really looked there besides Evie and the others. 

Maybe she was critiquing the fit. Evie _did_ tend to make his pants tighter than he would normally wear them.

“Yes,” Evie chirped, wrapping an arm around Chad’s waist possessively – at least, he hoped it was possessively. “He does.”

“ _Always_ ,” Jay said with a wink, and Chad spent the rest of their time in the lunch line blushing horribly while his friends doted him with compliments.

Later, when he was kissing Evie goodnight after dinner (they did that now, and Chad always worried about his breath but Evie never cared and her lips were so soft and she was _so nice_ ), Evie’s hands would slide from his waist to squeeze his _butt_ , which was embarrassing but also very nice. 

When they finished, Mal laughed at his flushed expression, and then she squeezed his butt too.

What a world to live in.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Chad wasn’t sure how to bring the point up to Evie. It wasn’t a _bad_ thing, it was just different, and he wasn’t sure how she would take it. He didn’t want her to think he was taking advantage of her but he also didn’t want her to think he was ashamed of her and it all just resulted in him being a fidgeting mess that even Carlos gave a side-eye to.

Eventually, Evie cleared her throat, pulling Chad’s wandering focus from his homework. “What is it?”

“ _Um_.” Chad swallowed, wishing his mouth didn’t feel so dry. “My grandfather- he um- he has a few magazines that are interested in doing a photo spread on us, since we make each other clothes?” Why had he said that as a question? That wasn’t a question, he was _wearing_ one of the shirts Evie had made him. “I was going to ask if you were interested, not that you should be pressured into it or anything, you can totally say no-”

“Is it like modeling?” Evie asked, cutting through his babble with the curiosity he loved so much. “Like on those billboards?”

“Yeah, basically.” Chad had modeled a lot in his time in order to make up for his failing social graces, as though doing an artful spread in a teen magazine would make up for the fact that he had no personality to speak of. “But we would be modeling our clothes.” He paused at her look of consideration. “Of course, you’d get paid for it, and you get a copy of the photos for your portfolio.”

From her position sprawled across her bed, Mal perked up. “A portfolio for what?”

“For modeling,” Chad explained. “In case you want to do it again, people will ask for samples of your work.”

“Do _you_ have a portfolio?” Mal pressed, seeming interested.

Chad blushed. “Yes,” he murmured. “My grandfather got me into modeling a long time ago. I think he wanted people to remember I existed.”

“I want to see this portfolio,” Mal decided, and that was how they spent the afternoon looking at Chad’s pictures on his laptop, ignoring their homework in favor of seeing snapshots from Chad’s childhood all the way up to the present, Chad’s progress getting markedly better with each passing year.

“These are really good,” Evie said, looking at a black and white photo where Chad was partly shirtless. “Is this high fashion?”

“Couture,” Chad confirmed. “But I didn’t start getting those until recently. Everything else was just catalogue, with the occasional entertainment spread.” 

“This is crazy,” Mal whistled. “You’re dating a model.”

“Maybe that’s why you’re such a good muse,” Evie hummed, and instead of looking at his pictures with criticism, like Audrey, Evie seemed pleased. “And I think I’d enjoy taking photos with you. The world should see our clothes.”

“And you wearing them,” Mal chirped. “Maybe you should design some new stuff – _really_ rock their world.”

“Good thinking, Mal,” Evie declared, and that was how Chad and Evie came to further abandon their homework, hashing out rough sketches while their inspiration ran hot.

-:-:-:-:-:-

The photoshoot was a rousing success.

Mostly because Evie was there, and Evie was naturally beautiful and only looked better in the clothes Chad made for her. She repeated the sentiment for Chad, and they spent a morning posing around iconic locations in Auradon City, holding hands and laughing, lounging against one another as though they didn’t have a care in the world. For the most part they stuck to their iconic colors except for one pair of outfits where they switched, Evie looking radiant in a shimmery light blue while Chad rocked navy with red accents, making the shoot director coo over their ‘artistic vision’.

When the magazine came out, Chad had their photospread framed as a gift to Evie, who proudly set it above the mantel of her fireplace, declaring it ‘ _the first of many’_.

She couldn’t possibly know how much those words meant to Chad, who had been happy enough to get this much, and knew he’d be writing those words down later, along with a description of Evie’s smile (which he was slowly getting better at categorizing, even if he could never capture it perfectly). 

Some things were beyond Chad’s means, but still, he would try.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Chad heard the commotion between classes, would have missed it altogether if he hadn’t caught frantic whispers of _‘De Ville_ ’ and _‘that Isle kid_ ’ drifting down the hall. Once he made out the words, he immediately followed the small groups of students who seemed to be congregating near one of the storage closets near the stairs. With his heart pounding in his throat, Chad tried to make his way to the front of the crowd, eventually catching sight of Mrs. Ramirez, who taught mechanics and a lot of basic engineering classes.

“Carlos,” she was attempting to talk through the door, occasionally pausing to give pointed looks to the gathering crowd to keep them at bay. “Carlos, it’s alright, you can come out now.”

“Is he hiding in there?” Chad asked, ignoring the teacher’s frustrated look to peer around her. “What happened?”

“He freaked out in mechanics class,” one of the nearby students replied. “He was working on something and then Mrs. Ramirez tried to get his attention and he _shoved_ her.”

“He was just surprised,” the teacher sighed. “He isn’t going to get in trouble for it, but the moment he realized what happened, he bolted.”

“Like the scaredy cat he is,” another student snickered.

“ _Hey_ ,” the teacher’s expression shifted into something resolute. “This isn’t some kind of show – get to class and mind your own business. You all should know better.”

They should, but Chad couldn’t focus on that, because Carlos was hiding somewhere in that small room. It didn’t take him long to abandon his backpack, lying down on the ground so he could speak through the crack under the door. “Carlos?” he called. “It’s Chad. Are you in there?”

He didn’t honestly expect a response, which was what made it that more shocking when he got one. “… _go away.”_

“Carlos.” Chad practically slumped in relief, could see the same emotion flitter across the teacher’s face when she crouched down beside him. “It’s okay, Mrs. Ramirez says you’re not in trouble. You can come out now.”

“ _No, I can’t_ ,” Carlos pressed, a hint of panic in his tone. “ _If I go out there, she’ll get me_.” 

“But you’re not in trouble,” Chad said, sharing a look with the teacher.

“ _I’m always in trouble_.” It seemed like it pained Carlos to say it, or more like it was a painful thing in itself, just another fact of life. “ _Nothing’s ever good enough. If I go out there, she’ll get me for being a bad dog. I haven’t done my chores; I haven’t done **any** chores. She’s going to be so mad_.”

“Are you… are you talking about your mom?” Chad asked, slowly putting the pieces together. He hated that they still had a small crowd around them, students that refused to leave despite Mrs. Ramirez’s looks, but he had to ignore that for Carlos.

“ _She’s gonna get me_ ,” Carlos croaked. “ _She’s gonna get me because I’m **bad**_.”

“You’re not bad, Carlos,” Chad urged, wishing he could reach through the door to hold Carlos’ hand. “You’re smart and clever, and your mom can’t get you here. She’s back on the Isle.”

“ _But- but if the barrier falls-_ ”

“It’s not going to,” Chad pressed, and he hadn’t realized until now that this was something the Isle kids could be worried about, though he supposed that they above all others understood the horrors that lurked on the Isle. “And if it _did_ , if your mom somehow managed to get free- then you can come to Sardinia. We have great security, that’s like our thing. Security and clothes.”

“… _and glass slippers?_ ” Carlos sniffed, but he seemed closer to his usual tone, like fear was no longer clouding his brain.

“And glass slippers,” Chad managed to chuckle, even though it was horribly forced. “You’re safe here, Carlos. You don’t have to see your mom ever again if you don’t want to.”

“ _I **don’t** want to_,” Carlos let out something like a sob. “ ** _Please_** _. I know I deserve it but please don’t make me go back_.”

“You don’t deserve it.” Chad’s heart twisted painfully in his chest. “You never deserved that, Carlos. I’m sorry you had to go through it.”

“Is he scared of his mom?” one of the students murmured. “But she’s his _mom_.” 

A flare of anger surged through Chad’s chest. “That doesn’t mean she was _nice_ to him,” he snapped over his shoulder, thinking about everything he’d witnessed from the VKs, how they sometimes stared at the world like they were waiting for it to hurt them. He turned back to the closet before he could start yelling. “Carlos, you can stay in there as long as you need to, but you’re not in trouble, okay?”

“I know it was an accident, Carlos,” Mrs. Ramirez chose to speak up. “I’ll try not to surprise you in the future.”

“ _…thank you_ ,” Carlos muttered eventually. “ _But I… I want to stay in here, for a bit_.”

“That’s okay,” Mrs. Ramirez said. She looked at Chad. “I’ll write both of you notes for your next class.”

“Could you contact the office and get Mal pulled from class?” Chad tried. “He’d do better with her.”

Mrs. Ramirez pinned him with an unreadable look. “From what I’ve seen, you’ve been doing pretty well, Chad.” Before he could reply, she turned to the crowd around them. “Show’s over – _move_.”

And then, _finally_ , they left, leaving the teacher and Chad curled next to the storage closet, though Mrs. Ramirez was already shifting to her feet. “I’ll see what I can do about Miss Bertha,” she said. “And I’ll be right back with those notes.”

“Thank you,” Chad said, then settled himself in for the long haul.

It took another hour before Carlos was ready to come out of the closet, and Chad stayed sprawled across the floor on his stomach the entire time, just in case he needed to talk. Mal showed up fifteen minutes after he’d started his vigil with a note in her hand, and the two of them crowded by the door to give Carlos their support, Mal talking about how she would set Cruella on fire if she dared to get within ten feet of Carlos, how Jay would buy them time to retreat and Evie would poison her and Chad would take care of him and she didn’t even say the last part as a joke, she was serious about all of it, which filled Chad with an unfathomable hope.

They released simultaneous exhales of relief when Carlos shyly opened the door, but instead of making him come outside, they joined him, curling together until he felt settled again.

The next day, Aziz showed Chad pictures on his phone of Chad talking through the bottom of the closet door that one of the students must have taken, but Chad felt no embarrassment for his actions. Carlos was more important than his clothes getting dirty or a few dumb photos getting taken. Evie knew that based on the especially nice kiss she had given him after walking Carlos to her room after school, and Chad knew that, and that was all that mattered.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Things seemed to get easier with Carlos, after that. 

The young De Ville had always seemed a little wary around Chad, despite the bonding moment they’d shared up in the tree after Tourney practice. Chad never held it against him, because Chad had no frame of reference for the trials he could have possibly suffered. If Carlos wanted to keep Chad at a distance, if he felt more comfortable that way, then that was what Chad gave him, because he deserved to feel safe.

That changed, after the closet. 

It seemed that after that, Carlos more willingly sought Chad out. When Evie was busy with her counselor appointments or working on a new project she wanted to be a surprise for Chad, he would invite the prince to play video games, or talk him through his latest robotic project. Sometimes, Chad would take him shopping for new electrical parts, or take him to special exhibits at the science museum – though he was always sure to end those visits with chocolate sundaes or cupcakes from a local bakery. Carlos loved sweets almost as much as he loved fresh produce, and Chad did his best to try and get the young De Ville both, because he deserved them. 

Sometimes, one of the others would tag along on their expeditions. A lot of times it was Mal, who would smile in something like approval over the top of her sketchbook. Sometimes it was Jay, who was always sure to be physically affectionate with both of them – ruffling Chad’s curls and wrapping an arm around Carlos’ waist. It was obvious that what interested Carlos did not always interest Jay, but the tall teen seemed to appreciate Carlos being in his intellectual element, and spent a lot of time taking pictures of Carlos and Chad as they stared at museum exhibits. 

The more Chad did this, the more he realized it made Evie happy, made _himself_ happy, so he made an effort to take each of them on special trips – not just Evie. There was a Saturday where he drove Jay to a professional Tourney game and spent the entire time talking about the different teams and coaches, reviewing all the different players and their tactics and weaknesses. He followed it up by taking Jay to an Agraben restaurant so he could have a taste of his home culture, and Chad got to smile as Jay tried increasingly spicy things and loved _all of them_. They were always sure to send a lot of pictures back to Mal, who demanded them, Jay spending the entire drive back to Auradon Prep with his phone in speaker mode so he could recount their day to the others _immediately_. 

Mal was trickier than the others, because Mal was the boss and Chad wanted to do right by her. He took her to an art festival where she was able to claim a portion of sidewalk and recreate a perfect image of Jane’s smiling face. She ended up winning first place, _of course_ , and after receiving numerous congratulations from Princess Ruby (the daughter of Queen Rapunzel and King Eugene), who had also competed, Chad took Mal out to a restaurant that toted having the greatest variety of strawberry desserts in all of Auradon City.

They sampled one of each of them, and took the leftovers back to Auradon Prep where the others descended upon them, congratulating Mal on her success, Evie going so far as to kiss Chad on the cheek as a reward.

It was wonderful. At first, Chad thought they were tolerating his presence because of what he could offer them, but eventually he realized that they actually liked having him around. There was no other reason he could think for Carlos and Mal to ask him on a walk through the woods. No other reason he could think for Evie and Jay to demand his presence for movie night. Lonnie insisted on hosting them for an evening of learning to play mahjong, and Mal made extra sure that Chad was invited as well, which turned out to be unnecessary because he apparently _had_ been. 

On very rare occasions, Mal would let Chad sleepover in her dorm room.

Not to do anything suspect, of course, it was all very proper, Chad in his best pajamas and Mal and the others done up in Evie (and Chad) originals. They joked and played cards and learned about new cultures, and when it came time to sleep, Mal ushered everyone into _one_ of the beds, handing each of them a blanket. And sure, it was a tight fit, but with Evie cuddled against Chad’s front and Jay against his back, Mal reaching over Evie to give her a squeeze before pressing their backs together so she could hold onto Carlos-

It was unspeakably nice. 

So Chad treasured it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for all the lovely feedback!! It continues to amaze me how much response this story is getting, and I can’t express enough how very grateful I am for all the comments and feedback. Seriously, when I know what you guys like, it makes it easier for me to incorporate it into future stories, so thank you!!!
> 
> Story notes:
> 
> This chapter is sort of a collection of scenes that acted as a transitional bonding period. They weren't necessarily written in order, which is why the flow might be a little wonky, but I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out!
> 
> Herodontus and Malvin are totally made up character that you are free to use. Like, I know how annoying it can be to invent OCs, just give me a shout out in the endnotes ;) 
> 
> Mrs. Ramirez is, in fact, Audrey Ramirez from ‘Atlantis : the Lost Empire’.
> 
> I think being a restaurant with a variety of strawberry desserts is likely a niche market that doesn’t exist, but in Auradon, people love their fruits, so we’ll pretend it could be real ;D
> 
> Until next time :)


	5. Turning Up The Heat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING – Referenced Sexual Assault – it isn’t graphic or drawn out, but it is referenced. Please seen endnotes for more details.

“What’s wrong, Jane?” Chad felt comfortable asking the question because he and Jane were sort of buddies now, ever since the incident with Evie in the bathroom. Granted, Chad had always seen a lot of Jane because she was Audrey’s roommate and she was usually working on her own projects when Chad completed Audrey’s homework, but both of them had been too shy to manage a conversation before. He’d only really had her contact in his phone because she was his fairy god-person, even if she didn’t really know it.

But Jane was smart and bubbly and sweet (when she felt comfortable), and had been won over by Evie who was equally bubbly and sweet, so more often than not she would join Chad and the transfer students for lunch. Lonnie had already jumped on that particular bandwagon (with Mal’s permission) and Doug had joined them accidentally by having a passionate debate with Carlos over some sort of electronic thing that carried all through the lunch line and straight to their table. They had maybe gotten halfway through the meal before Doug realized where he was sitting, but even then the sheepish smile he gave them was due to lack of awareness, not fear. 

Chad had theorized with Evie that Mal thought Doug was _adorable_ , which was what allowed him to get away with stuff like not paying attention to the rest of them. Evie said it was because Doug reminded Mal of Carlos, who also easily got caught in his own little world, and between the two of them, the learning curve for their honors classes was something _fierce_. Even Chad had to struggle to keep up, but it was a good thing. It was better to be challenged than to stay complacent.

_But_ , that was not the point.

The point in all this was that Chad had been escorting Jane to lunch (with their block scheduling, he traded off accompanying Evie and Jane every other day) when the young fairy had gotten this strange sort of morose look on her face when she watched the other students in the hall. Well, specifically the princesses. It was kind of weird.

Jane flushed, likely embarrassed at having been caught doing whatever she’d been doing, and turned her gaze to the floor, shoulders slumping in a weary expression of defeat. “It’s nothing.”

“Do you want to talk to Evie about it?” Chad pressed, because that obviously wasn’t true. “She can walk with you to your next class if you’d rather talk about it with her.”

“ _No_.” That seemed even more firm, Jane daring to shoot him a look of panic before gazing at the floor again. “Sorry. I mean- just, no. It’s dumb.”

“It’s not dumb if it’s bothering you.” Jane was Chad’s fairy god-person, but more than that, she was his friend. If he could help her in any way at all, he would like to.

Jane started chewing on her bottom lip. “It’s just…” She sighed. “I wish I was prettier.”

Chad… did not know what to do with this information. “You are pretty, Jane.”

“No, like-” Jane flushed, tugging at the end of her hair. “Like _princess_ pretty.”

“But you’re princess pretty too,” Chad said, looking her over. 

Yes, she was still Jane, still fair and bright and lovely. She could easily pass for a princess if she walked with more confidence. That was half of what being attractive was – _owning_ it.

“No, I’m not.” Jane was still staring at the floor, but a small smile was pulling at the corner of her lips. “I’m just _‘Plain Jane’_.”

Chad scrunched his nose. He hated that nickname, and he wished a minor misfortune on whoever started it. “You’re far from plain, Jane. You’re _classic_.”

“Cute guys don’t want classic,” Jane sighed. “They want pretty.” 

“That’s a drastic oversimplification.” Chad felt the need to point this out because while he did like Evie and Audrey a lot because they were pretty, he also liked them because they were _strong_ and _generous_ and Chad liked those things more. “Besides, Doug would like classic, and Doug’s a cute guy.”

“He is?” Jane asked, looking up at him with a startled flush, as though she did not know this fact. “He would?”

“Sure.” Chad shrugged. He straightened up when Evie fell in step beside them, hooking her arm neatly through Chad’s elbow, and just like every other time she had willingly done this, it made Chad _preen_. “Evie, Doug’s cute, right?”

“Oh yeah.” Evie grinned, she always did that when he asked her opinion on something, especially their classmates. “Doug’s very cute.”

“ _See_?” Chad pressed. “Doug’s a smart, cute guy who would totally date the current, pretty version of Jane.”

“But I’m not pretty.” Jane seemed even more embarrassed now that they were having this conversation in front of Evie, which Chad guessed she had wanted to avoid.

“Yes, you are,” Evie chimed in, because Evie was wise and Chad was not wrong.

Chad grinned. “That’s what I said.”

“Then if you’re still arguing about it, how about some undisputed proof?” Evie suggested. “Why don’t you have Jane model for your next clothing line photoshoot?”

“That’s a great idea!” Of course it was, Evie had come up with it. “Jane is totally model material.”

Jane seemed to flush as red as a tomato. “I can’t- I can’t do _that_.”

“Sure, you can,” Chad chirped. “Hey, maybe I could ask some of the others too. That way you wouldn’t be all by yourself, and all of Auradon can see how perfectly visually appealing you are.”

“Not that it matters,” Evie chimed in. “But if you’re looking for unquestionable evidence, this is a good place to start.”

“A _great_ one,” Chad added, because he wanted Evie to know how much he appreciated her.

Her response was to kiss him on the cheek, so Chad was pretty sure the message got through.

“You… you really think I could do it?” Jane asked, daring to look hopeful.

It was something Chad had to kindle, because even though he didn’t understand how Jane couldn’t see how lovely she was inside and out, he knew he wanted to do everything possible so that she _did_ see herself that way. So that she’d be given her due. 

Immediately, Chad decided to design a selection of dresses just for her. Heck, he’d do it for all of them and then arrange for an emergency meeting tonight with his seamstresses and procurement team so they could have the new lines constructed and ready for distribution by the time the adds were published. It was absolutely _brilliant_. 

“Yes, Jane.” Chad grinned. “I _know_ you can.”

“Then we shall do it,” Evie decided. “Wait until we tell the others.” 

-:-:-:-:-:-

After a fair amount of cajoling, Evie managed to get everyone onboard. Lonnie, of course, was interested the moment Chad made the suggestion, leaping at the opportunity to model, so much so that Chad threw in the towel and decided to try his hand at an athletic line just for Jay, something that Mal laughed at him for but then spent the following half hour making suggestions for extra zippered pockets and comfortable layers. 

In the end, Chad wound up with two different collections to be modeled – the sportswear, and an array of clothes that would be acceptable to wear to Auradon Prep, dresses and tailored blouses with matching leggings and tasteful blazers and jackets for the guys. For the sportswear, Chad got Jay, Carlos, and Lonnie – who then recruited Aziz and Marsaili (the daughter of Queen Merida) to model, and for the rest he had Jane and Evie (obvious choices), Mal (who came grudgingly at _best_ , and only after approving her outfits), Doug (who had been dragged into it by Carlos, who refused to ‘suffer’ alone), and surprisingly enough, Audrey and Ben. 

Audrey’s participation had come as somewhat of a shock, because Chad had asked her to model with him for _years_. And while he understood why she turned him down (they couldn’t seem too friendly in public, Chad hadn’t earned that), it had always stung a little, because he’d always wanted his sort-of girlfriend to model the creations he’d made just for her for the entirety of Auradon to see.

And now he was finally getting that wish, which made it _that_ much more important for Chad to get everything exactly right. 

He was up early the day of the shoot making sure the arrangements were perfect – having rented out an older section of the school that wasn’t used on weekends so no one would have to travel far. He had his usual crew come and set up the hair and makeup tent and prep the gear before leaving, the only personnel staying behind were the security guards he had placed in a wide perimeter to keep any curious students at bay. 

Chad scheduled the sportswear shoot to be done first to give the girls as much time as they needed primping for the school wear shoot. Evie’s face lit up in a pure expression of delight when she saw the array of equipment Chad had available for her disposal, and her excitement only grew when Chad put her in charge of styling. He trusted her judgement, but mostly, he trusted her ability to put Jane at ease, since this was mostly for Jane’s benefit. 

The morning was hectic, the hair and makeup tent a buzz of activity while everyone got ‘model’ ready. Ben strolled in uncharacteristically late, though he brought Princess Ruby (the daughter of Queen Rapunzel and King Eugene) in-tow, who had a video camera clasped between her hands and a smile so wide it almost hurt Chad’s face just from looking at it.

“I thought we could do some behind-the-scenes videos,” Ben explained, motioning to Ruby who had already gotten started, getting a closeup of Jay making faces at her in the mirror while Evie pulled his hair back in a half-pony. “So everyone could get a feel for your artistic process.”

“Oh.” Chad blinked, but he didn’t see the harm in in. “Okay. That’s a good idea, Ben.”

_Stupid_ , of course it was good, it was Ben, but the other prince didn’t take any offense at the comment, aiming a sympathetic smile at Chad before moving to address his girlfriend, who was patiently curling her hair into its usual luscious waves.

“Alright, sports team,” Chad called when each of the athletes had met Evie’s approval. “Let’s get to the Tourney field.”

None of his friends were professional models, so Chad just gave them a quick review of the basics. Try to angle towards the camera, keep your face as composed as possible, and remember to show off the clothes, which was the important part. Jay took the last as a personal challenge, doing his best to leap as majestically as possible as he passed the Tourney ball to Aziz, posing in the air like some kind of superhero, and of course Aziz and Lonnie were not to be outdone. Marsali seemed to miss the concept entirely in her effort to tackle anyone to the ground that she could, and Chad got an epic shot of her taking Aziz down while Carlos stole the ball right from under his nose. 

Chad was reviewing the photos he had taken so far while the athletes changed into their next set of clothes when Ruby wandered over towards him. “What made you get started in fashion design anyway?” she asked, holding her camera at ready.

It wasn’t a question Chad had expected, mostly because no one ever bothered to properly interview him, even though he knew _how_. “My mom liked to sew, so I picked it up so I could be closer to her, you know?” At Ruby’s nod, he continued, “And then I wanted to start a business – mostly because it didn’t feel right trying to dictate the needs of a business on a kingdom-wide scale without understanding how they functioned, and you can’t really know _that_ unless you have one, so- right. I um… I decided to design clothes, because it’s something that can make everyone happy and it’s sort of like my mom’s still here.”

“Wait.” Ruby blinked. “Do you own your clothing line?”

“Yeah?” Chad wasn’t sure why that was a surprise, it had his _name_ on it. Well, his nickname. “I mean, it was easier for me to secure a loan to start my business than it would be for the average Sardinian citizen, but once the line started showing a profit, I paid off the loan and now a majority of the proceeds go to the Ella Foundation, which is designed to provide social services for lower-income families in Sardinia.”

“Your clothing line funds a major charity,” Ruby echoed, sort of like she didn’t believe it.

Chad tried not to let it get to him. “Right now the Ella Foundation is building and staffing additional schools in Sardinia, along with constructing additional housing and training therapists for when the Isle reforms hopefully come through.”

“Isle reforms?”

“Getting more kids off the Isle?” Chad decided to swap lenses before the others wandered back to the Tourney field. “They’re going to need a place to stay. They can’t all come to Central Auradon. Or they could, but it would make more sense to distribute the influx of refugees so that the strain doesn’t wear on one kingdom in particular.”

Ruby perked up. “Ben’s going to get more kids off the Isle?”

Chad shot her a weird look. “He’s going to _have_ to. Now that the public knows that there are Auradon citizens being unjustly confined-”

“There are?” Ruby interrupted, almost dropping her camera. “Who?”

“…the children?” Chad didn’t talk to Ruby that often, but she was a princess. She should know this stuff. “None of them have committed a crime in Auradon, and as such, they are being held without cause. And a majority of the petty criminals that have been shipped off there have more than satisfied the sentences for the crimes that had landed them there in the first place. The entire system is… flawed,” he settled on. “But Fairuza and I – Aziz’s sister – have been working on creating new proposals that should help update the policies into something more substantial.” At Ruby’s puzzled look, he added. “Fairuza is a great policy maker. Very detail-oriented.”

And the key was in the _details_.

“So… you design clothes, sell them for charity, own your own business, are on the honor roll, are defensive MVP for the Tourney team, and are working, _right now_ , on making new policy proposals for the Auradon Council? No wonder you’re so busy all the time.”

“I um… wouldn’t call myself the defensive MVP,” Chad murmured, feeling his cheeks heat in a furious blush. “That’s more Carlos, nowadays. And it’s well deserved. He’s very fast.”

“How do you get it all done?” Ruby pressed.

“I’ve trained myself to function on a few hours of sleep,” Chad replied with a shrug. “Which really helped as far as schedule management was concerned.”

Ruby was quiet for a moment. “…you have blown my mind.”

“Sorry?” Chad offered, but then she laughed, so he figured they were okay.

Finishing up the sportswear shots was fun. It was great to watch Jay in his element, playing instead of _fighting_ for the win. Great to see him celebrate with the others as they jumped hurdles or swung a bo staff around (Lonnie) or posed in the stands. Chad got a lot of outstanding photos, though his favorite was of the five of them walking away from the field, Jay slinging an arm around Aziz’s shoulders while Lonnie carried Carlos on her back, Marsali elbowing into her side while all of them laughed, ‘model’ faces be damned. 

“Yes, that’s it!” Chad called as he slowly walked backwards in front of them. “The camera loves you!”

“If we love the camera back, can we change into non-sweaty clothes?” Carlos asked, just before a mischievous grin crossed Lonnie’s face and she took off towards the makeup tent in a bold sprint. 

Jay charged on behind her, Marsali swinging onto his back like it was some sort of challenge, and Aziz followed after them, shouting his support all the while. 

Comparatively speaking, the next photoshoot was much more laidback. Jane, of course, was nervous, but Chad managed to ease her into things by telling corny jokes he had specifically looked up for this purpose, until he could catch the moment _just_ after she’d finished laughing when she seemed so very content with the world, and she would blush and demand a redo but in those redoes she managed to find _peace_ , which was all he wanted. 

Evie, of course, was the image of regal perfection, her lips painted red and posture perfect no matter where she posed, and Chad probably took too many pictures of her while Mal cackled beside him, pretending to ‘help’ with the lighting.

“Your adoration is showing,” she noted, but she seemed entirely fond.

“Thank you.” Chad blushed. “I’m a lucky guy.”

“What made you date Princess Evie anyway?” Ruby asked, seeming oblivious to Mal’s narrowed gaze.

“Oh.” Chad felt his blush darken. “Um. Well. She asked, and she seemed really smart and pretty, so I said yes.”

Ruby blinked. “…had no one else asked you out before?”

“Maybe?” Chad honestly didn’t know. “But um- I had a girlfriend- _or-_ ” He rushed to correct himself. “Not really-”

“He had a secret girlfriend, or something,” Mal explained with a wave of her hand. “But they broke up over the summer.”

“Right,” Chad murmured, but at least he was starting to feel less bad about it. “Anyway, um… Lonnie said that Evie seemed to like me, so I asked her out and she said _yes_ and now we’re dating.” He could feel his grin go all dopey, but he didn’t care. “And she’s really nice and sweet and poised-”

“He can go on about her for a long time,” Mal said, sounding the epitome of approving.

“She’s very nice.” Chad flushed. “Mal is also very nice, but she doesn’t like when you mention it.”

“I am _not_ ,” Mal hissed, even when she was making encouraging faces to Evie in the next moment.

“Jay is also nice,” Chad continued. “But you shouldn’t say that to his face.”

“Why not?” Ruby asked, echoing the same question Chad had been carrying around with him for _weeks_.

“Because ‘ _nice_ ’ doesn’t get you far on the Isle,” Mal drawled, folding her arms across her chest. “You fight or you die, and there’s little room for _kindness_ in that.”

“But… your parents,” Ruby cut in before Chad could offer yet another apology, even though he knew Mal didn’t want it.

Mal looked at her from the corner of her eyes, her pale orbs seeming to flare green. “Our parents are _evil_ , princess. They don’t like us anymore than they like the rest of the world. The only reason they had us in the first place was out of some misguided attempt to _‘preserve their legacy_ ’, only their legacy is a garbage island, so we get treated like henchmen.” Her body tensed to an almost painful degree. “And sometimes even their reputations can’t keep us safe. I mean, it’s an island full of crazy, desperate people fighting over limited resources. People die every day, no one cares.”

“…I care,” Chad murmured, thinking back on the latest report from the barges, how six child bodies had been brought back for burial, and those were just the ones that had been recovered.

Ever so slowly, the tension eased out of Mal’s shoulders. “I know you do, Chad. And that’s why we’re friends.”

It was nice to hear her say as much when she was clearly in a tough spot, and Chad ached for her when she drew in a slow breath, clearly trying to compose herself.

“Now,” she started up eventually. “I’m going to go do a few of those anger management exercises Fairy Godmother taught us, because I am a _civilized_ person.”

Without thinking, Chad reached out a hand, grabbing onto her delicate fingers before she could entirely slip away. “You have every right to be upset, Mal. No one would blame you for that.”

“Sure they would,” she dismissed, but then she squeezed his fingers. “But you wouldn’t, and I appreciate that.”

With that, she slipped away. Evie watched the exchange with a worried gaze before Chad motioned for her to follow after her friend, choosing to turn his attention to the others. The least he could do was give them some space.

Still, he texted Carlos and Jay anyway, just to be safe.

“…that’s awful,” Ruby said as they drifted to the next location, Ben setting up to pose with Audrey while Doug and Jane bashfully fluttered around each other. “I didn’t think it was that bad, but of _course_ it was that bad. They all seem so…” She didn’t seem to have the words for it, which Chad could relate to, as he often found it difficult to categorize the hurt the others seemed to carry around with them so easily. “What can I do to help?”

Chad blinked, realizing that Ruby’s expression had shifted into a familiar look of determination Chad had seen on her mother, Queen Rapunzel.

“Your parents are already strong proponents of the Isle reforms,” Chad began slowly, thinking about how critical an ally King Eugene had been during the mock debate rounds of Chad’s crown trial. “And Corona already has a great system in place for rehabilitating criminals. So I guess just… being a vocal supporter of the VKs would be a big help in itself. Once we can get Auradon to look past their heritage and see that they’re teenagers just like us, we’ll be able to gain some actual ground.”

“Okay.” Ruby nodded. “I can do that. I mean- you, Fairuza, and Ben are already doing so much – the rest of us need to step up. Do our part to help Auradon.”

“T-Thank you.” Chad grinned, hoping it didn’t look as shaky as it felt. “That means a lot to me, Ruby.”

“It was my pleasure, Mr. _Charming_ ,” she cooed, and Chad didn’t even mind the use of the nickname he felt so unqualified for, merely basking in the comfort of earning another supporter, a potential-friend, and knowing that despite Mal’s frustration that today had already gone better than he’d hoped. 

-:-:-:-:-:-

They ended up going to an Imperial City restaurant where Chad treated everyone to lunch, staking claim to a big round table in a private room. The food was served family style so everyone was able to have a little of everything, which was critical to the Isle kids who’d never experienced this kind of food and had no idea what most of it was. 

Ruby even had her camera out for the meal, capturing the contest between Aziz, Jay, and Lonnie to see who could catch the most sweet and sour chicken with their mouths. Marsali was the unbiased tosser, having the best aim, and it was Lonnie who came out on top with bulging cheeks, Jay and Aziz offering her well-deserved applause for her efforts. Doug, Jane, and Carlos nerded out quietly in their own portion of the table, though Jane seemed to almost glow, buffeted by the two boys and trading conversation with an easy confidence. Chad had allowed her to keep the outfits she modeled – prompting him to do the same with everyone else – and while it had taken a bit to get her used to the idea, she seemed to revel in the fluttery light blue dress she had ended the shoot with. 

Chad himself was bracketed by Mal and Evie, and had taken to try and eating with chopsticks just to make them laugh, Lonnie bemoaning his lack of coordination before showing him how it was _really done_. 

Of everyone, Ben and Audrey seemed the quietest, which worried Chad to a degree but if Audrey was with Ben, she had to be happy. It was _Ben_. And Ben meant queendom and everything she deserved. 

“You don’t have to pay for lunch, Chad,” Aziz cut in when the check came around, but Chad waved him off, already passing back his card.

“But I want to,” Chad explained. “Because you guys worked hard today, and I appreciate it.”

“And I appreciate you talking to us,” Lonnie said, raising her glass high, which seemed like a weird thing to say, but Chad was never one to turn down a toast.

“To um… fashion?” Aziz offered.

“To teamwork,” Ben corrected, and since he was going to be king someday quite soon, everyone echoed after him, even Mal and _Jay_ , because his honesty could not be denied.

The more Chad talked to Ben, the better he felt about his failure with the selection committee. The better he felt about the hand he was dealt. 

It was always meant to be Ben, and this- this was meant to be Chad’s.

And he was even beginning to believe that.

-:-:-:-:-:-

“Chad,” Evie said one not-particularly special day after Tourney practice, when Chad had finished helping Audrey with her homework and was in the process of finishing his own in Evie and Mal’s room, otherwise known as VK central. “Could you come here, sweetheart?”

“Sure, Evie,” Chad said, feeling his cheeks heat in a flush as he tried to settle his homework _calmly_ , so he wouldn’t sprint across the room and give away his hopeless excitement. “What do you need?”

“Just you,” she said, gently, sweetly, and Chad _melted_ the same way he always did, sitting down beside her on the bed while Jay tried to pretend he wasn’t eavesdropping.

“T-Thanks, Evie,” Chad said, leaning into the hand she carded through his curls. “I um- I like being here for you. And I like you.”

Evie grinned. “I like you too, Chad.” She shifted forward, and it took Chad a second to realize she was going to kiss him, they were going to _kiss_ and it was lovely, so he melted into it, doing his best to satisfy her, because he wanted her to be happy.

While Chad had a lot of practice pleasuring Audrey, they hadn’t really kissed all that much. She’d used him to learn the basics, but after that, she preferred to not be as active in their um- relations. Usually it was Chad doting on her, which he was happy to do, but he also really liked kissing Evie. 

When he leaned back, Evie was still smiling, her perfect fingers cupped against his jaw. “Did you like that?”

“I did,” Chad said, feeling his blush darken. “I do, I mean.”

Her smile widened. “May I ask you something?”

“Of course.” Chad wasn’t sure if he’d be able to answer her, but he’d always _try_. 

“I’ve noticed…” she began with a hum, petting a hand through his hair. “That you always wait for me to instigate kisses. Why is that?”

For a moment, Chad froze, staggered by the implications.

He swallowed roughly. “Do you… do you mean _I_ could- if I wanted-” His tongue felt thick and dumb, and he was embarrassed for how inarticulate he sounded. “I mean, I didn’t want to bother you or do it when you didn’t want to so I waited…”

Evie’s expression was very thoughtful over the course of his explanation, the princess periodically nodding to show she was listening. “Yes, sweetheart,” she said eventually. “You _can_ initiate a kiss if you want. I’ll let you know if I’m not interested, but for the most part, I would always welcome a kiss from you.”

Chad could have sworn he flushed all the way down to his toes. “I- _thank you_ ,” he gushed, feeling dumb but happy. He was supposed to be collected and _cool_ but right now he just felt lucky. “I um- I’ll be careful, though, ‘cuz otherwise I might try kissing you all the time- sorry – I know that’s not cool-”

Evie laughed, but it was a warm, gentle thing. “It’s very cool,” she assured him, petting his cheek. “I’m glad you enjoy this. I was afraid that maybe you thought I was dirty.”

“What? Evie, _no_.” It was a devastating implication, one that had Chad scrambling for her fingers so he could cradle her hands between his own. “No, you’re wonderful. There’s not a dirty thing about you. I’m sorry I made you feel that way, that was never my intention. I never want to make you feel bad or- please, if I ever do that again-”

“I’ll tell you,” Evie laughed again, but it was a relieved thing, accompanied by a smile. “That’s why we had this conversation now, Chad. I just- I wanted to check.”

“I’m so sorry,” Chad repeated. “I’m sorry. I never want you to feel neglected. I _always_ like you, because you’re talented and nice and smart and graceful-”

“And pretty?” she offered with a smirk, like it was some kind of inside joke.

“Very pretty,” Chad confirmed with a squeeze of her hands. “Which is great but not the entirety of your character-”

“Chad.” She swooped forward and kissed him into silence, which was pretty much the best way to be cut off. “I know,” she said when she pulled back. “And I’m glad you do too.”

“Okay.” Chad said, feeling himself relax. “I just wanted to reiterate that fact, even if you are pretty to the point of distraction.” On a whim, Chad decided to go on, struck with a sudden inspiration of what Evie could like. “You um… all are.”

At that, Evie perked up, and Chad knew he’d done well. “We are, are we?” she asked, grinning brilliantly. “Even Jay and Carlos?”

“ _Especially_ Jay and Carlos,” Chad gushed, and it was worth it to see Jay’s cheeks flush from the corner of his eyes.

“…okay,” Evie said eventually, after she gave him another kiss. “I think we’re ready to take things to the next level. Say tomorrow, after your study session?”

She wanted- _tomorrow?_

Chad swallowed roughly, but knew this was not something he could turn down. “Yes, I would- I would like that very much. Thank you. Please.”

Evie leaned forward, brushing her nose against his. Ever since she’d seen them in a movie, Evie had grown to love bunny kisses. She did them all the time with the others. Mal had a few sketches of it, and she’d even let Chad keep one. 

“So polite,” she said, and then Chad was pretty sure they made out, even though he’d never made out with anyone before so this categorization was entirely theoretical.

They only stopped when Jay started catcalling them and Mal ordered everyone to dinner, her sketchbook clutched to her chest. Later, Chad would realize she had started a picture of Chad kissing _Evie_ , only Chad was dressed like a prince from the olden days and Evie was in a ballgown, and for whatever reason Jay was wrapped around Chad’s back, watching the two of them with a look of contentment. 

Chad wasn’t sure why, but he found that he liked that picture a lot. Liked the idea of being held by Jay, not that it would ever happen.

Still, it was a nice dream.

-:-:-:-:-:-

To say that Chad was nervous when he knocked on Evie’s door was an understatement. He’d bypassed nervous and entered a complete state of panic hours ago, but for Evie he tried to maintain a level of decorum expected of him. 

It was a bit of a relief when Mal answered the door, motioning Chad to follow her inside. Evie was perched on the edge of her bed, greeting Chad with an easy flutter of her fingers, and that sign of familiarity was enough to make Chad relax ever so slightly, to feel comfortable enough to sit next to her on the bed. 

“Hi, Chad.” She took his hand between her own, giving it a careful squeeze as though she could sense his tension. “Are you ready?”

“Yes.” Chad nodded, trying to project an aura of confidence he did not, in fact, have. “Um- but…” His gaze drifted to Mal.

“Mal’s going to be our chaperone,” Evie explained. Which – right, that made sense, only did that mean she was going to _watch?_ Chad wasn’t sure how he felt about that.

But if that was what Evie wanted, then it was probably a good thing. 

“Okay.” Chad nodded, because Mal was the boss and he respected that. “Um… you have to- if I do anything you don’t like, please tell me.” He hated this part, because it made him seem so dumb, but it _had_ to be said in case he missed the cues. “So I can stop. I’ll stop whenever you want me to.”

Evie watched him carefully, and he wasn’t sure if she was embarrassed on his behalf or not, but eventually she smiled. “Thank you, Chad. I’ll be sure to do that.”

“Thanks,” he murmured, words trailing off when Evie moved to cup his cheeks between his hands, pressing her perfect lips against his. 

Evie’s kisses were always soft and sweet and made Chad feel like he could float away, like the two of them could sort of hover above the clouds while the rest of the world passed by. Audrey’s kisses had always been demanding, leaving Chad smeared with lipgloss while she took what she wanted from him (and he was happy to give it, never minded, not if it made her happy). Still, between the two of them Chad sort of liked this better because Evie was always so careful, content to just lean into him. 

He steadied one hand on the slick fabric of her skirt, but otherwise tried not to touch. Until he had a better understanding of what Evie wanted, he would try to keep to himself, to stay contented with their easy kisses that made Chad’s heart hum. 

It was why Chad was so thrown when Evie eventually grabbed his wrist, nudging it up between her legs, _under her skirt_ -

Chad pulled away, his pulse beginning to race. “Do you-” He flushed, feeling stupid for even needing to ask. “Would you like me to um- touch you?”

But Evie just gave him a fond look and let his fingers press pointedly against the soft material of her panties, the heat of her body permeating the delicate fabric. “Yes, please.”

“Oh,” Chad breathed, shifting his hand slightly. There was a small damp patch against the lace that made Chad shiver. “Okay, I’ll just-”

Evie kissed him again, moaning when Chad slipped his fingers _into_ her underwear, and he might have done this for Audrey a hundred times but she’d never let him kiss her while he did it, and he’d never done it with anyone _else_. Still, Evie was warm and slick around his fingers, taking the gentle teases he had practiced with happy gasps against his lips. 

It emboldened him, made a swell of heat begin to build in his torso, pooling low between his legs. He hoped she didn’t notice, or if she did, that she was flattered and not upset. Chad wouldn’t let it distract him, he was better than that, but he was still conscious of Mal’s critical gaze on the two of them. 

So he focused on Evie, teasing and stimulating sensitive flesh without ever daring to push inside – he knew better, wouldn’t do as much without permission, and Evie continued to release small gushes of moisture that slicked his fingertips. 

“Chad,” Evie broke off with a gasp, her hips undulating into his hand in gradual movements. “Will you go down on me?”

“Oh.” Chad flushed, because _that_ he had done plenty of times, he just hadn’t thought that Evie would want it. “Yes, of course. Just-”

She slid back without being prompted, dragging off her panties with a sultry grin before letting them fall off to the side and she- she was bare beneath her short skirt, and the thought of it made Chad _ache_ , left him breathless as she eagerly spread her legs, waiting for him, reclining back against her pillows.

Oh, she wanted- okay. He could do this.

Chad’s heart felt like it was trying to pound out of his chest when he leaned forward, spreading himself out across the bed as he settled between Evie’s legs. Usually Audrey just sat on him for this part, but he sort of liked this better. Liked the pretty blush that spilled across Evie’s cheeks when he carefully eased her skirt up, until she was at last exposed in all her glory. 

The hair trailing across her pelvis was a dark, lovely blue, and Chad wanted to nuzzle it, to revel in the wonder that was Evie, but he had to _focus_ , because Evie was counting on him and Mal was watching to make sure he didn’t mess up. He gave Evie a tentative lick, soaking up the wet saltiness and watching her legs flex in his peripherals, a small coo falling from her lips. It made him feel better about what he was doing, so he tried it again, licking and sucking carefully until Evie was rhythmically rutting into his mouth.

“Oh, Chad,” she gasped, one of her hands tangling in his curls – gently though, not like Audrey, who would have yanked and scowled. “That’s it, baby. That feels so good.”

Chad shivered under the praise, looking up at her with as much adoration as he could muster while he delicately pushed his tongue inside. It was worth it, for the breathless sigh it earned him, for the feel of Evie clutching around his tongue until he slid it back out, preparing to go again. He’d just take it slow, lap up the new waves of slick when they were presented and ignore the growing ache between his legs. 

It was somewhere around that time that Chad heard the window click open, and that was enough to have him hastily pulling away, settling Evie’s skirt properly in place so she could be hidden once more. Chad was in the process of covering his mouth, smeared with a thick sheen of Evie’s juices, when Jay climbed in through the window, Carlos hot on his heels.

“Why’d you stop?” Evie asked, her brows furrowing in concern.

“Did- did you want me to keep going?” Chad asked, gaze flickering between his girlfriend and the rooms’ newest occupants, Jay looking upon both of them with a quirked brow.

Evie just sort of looked at him. “…of course.”

“Oh.” Chad was… just dumb, he guessed. “Sorry. I just- I wanted to check.”

Instead of yelling at him for ruining the mood, Evie smiled, one of her genuinely happy ones, though all of them seemed like that. “Thank you, Chad. I appreciate that.”

“What’d we interrupt?” Jay asked, throwing himself onto Mal’s bed and turning to watch them. “Did you get to the sexy part, yet?”

“You _interrupted_ the sexy part,” Mal muttered, letting a hand pet through Carlos’ curls when the youngest teen settled onto the floor next to her, his head falling into her lap. “Keep going, Chad.”

“Okay.” Chad leaned forward again, painfully conscious of the additional gazes as he worked Evie’s skirt back up. She was still just as flushed and lovely as before and Chad didn’t hesitate to dote on her, letting his hands settle carefully on her legs so he could give her the very best of his attention.

“Oh- Chad,” Evie moaned, her head falling back into the pillows. “That’s- you’re doing so good.”

He was- he was doing good. He was doing what he _should_ be doing and Chad reveled in that, careful to thrust his tongue in and out of Evie’s wet heat, sucking and teasing at her until she was close to falling over the edge. 

“Oh,” she gasped. “Oh, _oh, oh_ \- _Chad_.”

“ _Fuck_ ,” Jay murmured from his spot off to the side, and that was all Chad was able to process before a more insistent gush of wetness flooded his face, and Chad did his best to guide her through that just like Audrey had always liked, because she had been so nice to him and Chad just wanted to be good for her. It was what he wanted almost more than anything else.

When he was sure he had coaxed her through the brunt of it, Chad pulled away, giving her a few more careful licks to keep from ruining her skirt. He ran his tongue across his lips, savoring the flavor of her, before he coaxed her skirt down. “I’m just um- gonna get a damp washcloth for you, okay?” Chad said, mesmerized but Evie’s dazed expression.

Carlos popped to his feet. “I’ll get it,” he declared, ducking into the bathroom before Chad could protest. 

Mal watched him go with a smirk, then rolled to her feet, moving to dig through Evie’s dresser until she came up with another set of panties. They both returned shortly, and Chad took his time cleaning Evie up, easing on the new set of panties (maybe he could buy her some more – would that be too forward? He tried to do that for Audrey once but she’d gotten _really_ upset) in careful measures. It was only when she was looked after that he used a fresh portion of the washcloth to clean off his face. 

Carlos took it from him before Chad could put it away himself, so for lack of anything else to do, Chad spread out beside Evie, letting his head rest near her stomach. It was, overall, a very enjoyable afternoon, and she hadn’t even had to yell at him or tell him to stop. It seemed like he’d done all that worrying for nothing. 

Evie’s fingers combed through his hair with a wonderful gentleness. “Is that all?”

Chad blinked up at her, anxiety swelling in his chest. “Do you want to go again? Sorry, I should have asked-”

“No.” Evie shook her head, brows furrowing. “I meant…” She motioned to the interest prominently straining against his pants.

Chad flushed. “Sorry,” he murmured, hiding his face against her. “That will go away soon.”

There was a pause. “You don’t want me to touch you?”

“What?” Chad stared up at her, his own confusion matched in her expression. “Do you- do you want to touch me?” Just asking it made him hopelessly embarrassed, even though he _knew_ better. Intimate times weren’t about _his_ enjoyment, he was supposed to take care of that later, on his own.

“Could I do it?” Jay asked before Evie could reply, throwing Chad for a complete loop. The Tourney star was already climbing up the foot of Evie’s bed, pushing Chad’s legs wide like it was the easiest thing in the world. “Please, Evie?”

“ _Oh_ , he busted out some manners,” Mal drawled, spreading out across the bed Jay had vacated, Carlos curling into her side. “He must mean business, then.”

Evie considered this for a moment, her fingers still curling gentle patterns through Chad’s hair. “…if you’re gentle.”

“I can do that,” Jay said, and then he leaned forward and _nuzzled_ Chad’s crotch.

Chad twitched, not expecting the contact or the delicious flare of warmth that followed.

Jay hummed, gaze locked on Chad’s as he meaningfully nudged against him once more, making a small gasp spill from Chad’s mouth. 

“Responsive,” Mal surmised. “ _Nice_.”

Chad would have been happy with that, but then Jay was- he was _undoing_ Chad’s pants, pulling them down his thighs until Chad’s navy boxer briefs were visible to the room at large. Chad had worn them because he’d wanted to match Evie, not that he’d had the expectation that she would ever actually _see_ them, and he was embarrassed by the reveal until he heard her satisfied hum, felt her arm slide around his shoulder as she moved to lie next to him, holding him in place while Jay leaned forward and-

He started mouthing at Chad through the thin material of his underwear, and that alone had Chad jolting, a hand pressed against his mouth in a desperate effort to keep moans from spilling from his throat. It felt so good. It was weird but _good_ and it only got better when Jay pulled the waist of Chad’s briefs down, leaving Chad totally exposed. 

“Hey,” Evie murmured, gently tugging Chad’s hand away from his mouth. “You don’t have to do that.”

“B-But I’ll get noisy,” Chad whispered, shifting restlessly when Jay stared at him, at his naked groin, like he hadn’t seen it before when he definitely had. Maybe Chad was small, comparatively. He tried not to look at the other guys in the locker room, even though he was curious.

“Then get noisy,” Evie said, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “We want to hear you.”

“Fuck yes, we do,” Jay said, and then he was- his lips wrapped _around_ Chad and that was his mouth, a mouth _directly_ against his skin and it wasn’t even his girlfriend’s but a _guy’s_ , no, it was _Jay’s_ mouth, who Chad was pretty sure didn’t like him most of the time and Chad couldn’t stop the broken whimpers from spilling out of his mouth.

“Oh-oh-oh, I- _Evie_ ,” Chad gasped, not knowing what to do. “It’s so- he- _ah-_ ”

“Do you like it?” Evie asked while Jay pulled away, licking a stripe _down_ Chad before cradling him between calloused hands and licking and sucking at him some more. “Does it feel good?”

“S-So good, I can’t-” Chad moaned again, loudly, embarrassed by the noise but unable to contain it. “E-Evie I can’t- I’ve never- _ah-_ ”

“You’ve never what?” Evie asked, nuzzling against his shoulder. “Is this your first blowjob?”

“Y-Yes,” Chad mewled, fighting to keep his hips in place even though he wanted to push them into the warm comfort of Jay’s mouth – Jay, a _guy_ , Chad wanted to- “I- I don’t know if I- I’m gonna come. I’m gonna- it’ll be a mess.”

“Then make a mess,” Evie offered sagely, Jay _groaning_ around Chad’s length, sending the vibrations directly up his body in such a teasing manner that his toes curled. “Jay wants you to. Right into his mouth.”

Jay moaned in agreement, letting Chad slide deeper into his _throat_ and holy shit this was way more intense than Chad had ever envisioned it and Jay wanted him to- what if he choked him?

“Come on, Chad,” Evie coaxed, pressing kisses against his forehead, his shoulder, his cheek. “Come for Jay. Let him know how much you appreciate him.”

“Jay,” Chad panted, happy to follow the orders Evie had given him. “Jay, Jay- I’m gonna- it’s so- _Jay!_ ”

He fell apart with a blinding light sparking behind his eyes, overwhelmed by waves of lingering arousal. Jay kept sucking at him until Chad had nothing left to give but tiny gasps, and even then the Tourney player seemed reluctant to pull off him. 

When he did, his lips were wet and flushed, and Jay was determined to _lick_ Chad a few more times before Evie eventually batted him away.

Chad’s breaths came in slow gasps. “Did… did I- did we do good?”

“Yes,” Evie hummed. “You both did very well.”

“ _Fuck_ ,” Jay groaned, letting his head fall against Chad’s bare hip. He had one hand working furiously between his legs, like he’d- he’d gotten worked up from doing _that_ to Chad.

“So pretty,” Mal seemed to agree, a panting Carlos writhing in her grasp. She had a hand worked down the front of his shorts and seemed to be teasing him mercilessly, making the young De Ville flush a brilliant shade of red. “All of our pretty boys.”

Chad swallowed, because now that it was past the heat of the moment and he’d been confirmed to have done a good job, he needed new answers. He waited for Jay to finish, the other teen moaning against Chad’s skin with a prolonged gasp before he finally went limp. 

“W-Why’d you do it?” he asked, poking carefully at Jay’s head.

The son of Jafar gave him a sleepy look. “…‘cuz you’re hot and I wanted to.”

“You…” Chad didn’t understand. “You wanted to?”

“Yep.” Jay made a show of emphasizing the ‘p’. “And that was definitely a good call on my part.”

“You are lucky I’m generous,” Evie said, hugging Chad close to her. “That was his first blowjob.”

“The first of _many_ ,” Jay pledged, and Chad didn’t know what to do with that information besides shiver. Maybe he should tuck himself away. “ _Aw, man_ ,” Jay whined when Chad moved to cloth himself, but the other teen still helped, and between Jay and Evie they both took extra special care to guide and settle Chad into his pants underwear, until he was flustered all over again.

“Group naptime,” Mal declared a moment later, nudging a mostly boneless Carlos into Jay’s arms. Apparently they had finished up shortly after Jay. Mal chose to curl herself around Evie and Chad, making sure to have a hand on each of them. It left Chad in the middle of this wonderful pile, and he wasn’t even there out of _pity_. They wanted him there, they wanted to make him feel good, they thought he was _pretty_.

It was different, but such a strong flavor of good that Chad didn’t mind, welcomed it, even, and hoped that if he was lucky, he could keep having something like this going forward. He just needed to be good.

For Evie, he would try.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Intimate times became sort of a regular thing. Which was good, because intimate times meant being _close_ and making Evie _happy_ and those were both things Chad enjoyed immensely. It was just… sometimes intimate times didn’t really involve _Evie_ , which was sort of weird? 

Or, they did, but she would watch from the foot of the bed while Mal devoured Chad’s face in a manner similar to Audrey but was still somehow less painful. It was actually sort of intoxicating, and Evie _loved_ it, which immediately made Chad okay with it because at least it felt good and he knew Mal would take care of him. She was always watching out for the others, and sure, sometimes she was guarding them from _him_ , but he was almost certain that she wouldn’t hurt him if she didn’t have to, so he trusted her. 

It was why he was okay with Jay being curled against his back, feeling up under Chad’s shirt while he sucked on the blond’s neck (which was very distracting, that had never happened to Chad _either_ and he couldn’t stop letting out these breathy moans into Mal’s hungry mouth). 

Carlos, of course, was curled against Evie. And maybe Chad should be concerned about the hand Evie had between Carlos’ legs, squeezing at the small bulge that had formed there, but Audrey had often needed to _‘go elsewhere’_ because Chad hadn’t appropriately satisfied her, so at least this time Evie was doing it in front of him, instead of letting him find out about it after the fact. So Chad didn’t say anything when Carlos started moaning, which seemed to earn him an appreciative look from Mal before she dived down and started undoing his pants, despite the fact that he hadn’t satisfied _her_ yet.

“Oh _yeah_ ,” Jay groaned, easing Chad’s underwear down his thighs and letting his broad hands splay across Chad’s _rear_ , squeezing and kneading at the muscle there while Mal was stroking between Chad’s legs, using a shimmery pink lubricant that looked starkly perverse between her pale fingers. 

“G-Guys,” Chad moaned, feeling Jay guide him into Mal’s eager hand. “I haven’t- you haven’t gotten- um- relieved yet.”

“This is about _you_ , Chaddy,” Mal cooed with a toothy grin, her gaze fixed on the blush spreading across Chad’s face. “You’ve been such a good boy.”

“I have?” Oh. _Wow_. Chad hadn’t thought- he’d always hoped, but just to hear it- Audrey rarely offered that much but Chad had always yearned for it regardless, just that small measure of praise, and now he was getting that _and_ she was touching him and she wasn’t even complaining about it. 

“ _Yes_ ,” Jay moaned into Chad’s shoulder, biting near the base of his neck. It felt good though, and the swirl of tongue that followed after was almost like an apology. “Very good.”

“Being so generous,” Mal continued. “And knowing how to share.”

Chad didn’t really know what she was referring to, so he nodded, happy to soak up the compliments, trying to remember them verbatim so he could write them down later to be saved for an especially miserable day. 

“So hot,” Jay added. “Gonna get you an extra special present.”

Chad shuddered, because Jay pulled off flirtatious and menace sort of in one fell blow, and that in itself was both arousing and intoxicating, but Evie was still watching them, still happy and proud as she pushed a hand _into_ Carlos’ pants, making the smaller teen moan and shudder.

Jay’s hands left Chad briefly, though the blond was safely distracted by the all-encompassing presence of _Mal_ , who licked into his mouth and ground her palm against him and didn’t seem to mind that he was leaking onto her skin. It felt so good. Better than when he did it himself, alone in the bathroom, trying to remember Audrey’s pretty flushed expression. It was better having her _right there_ , and even better to have Evie watching over them with a look of supreme satisfaction. 

Distantly, Chad registered Jay’s hands return to his butt, squeezing gently before parting his cheeks, slipping a finger inside-

Chad’s pulse skyrocketed when a slick digit probed against his entrance, making him shudder in Mal’s grasp before the horror of what had just happened dawned on him.

“Sorry.” Chad broke away from Mal with a pant, turning onto his back in case Jay tested him again. “Sorry. I’m sorry-”

“O- _kayyy_.” Mal frowned, sharing a confused look with Jay. “What the hell did you do?”

“Nothing,” Jay protested. “I didn’t even get inside yet.”

“Sorry,” Chad repeated, using one hand to cover his face while the other tried to tug his shirt down. “I’m sorry.”

“Chad, baby,” Evie’s voice cut through the chaos in a gentle curl, sounding concerned instead of annoyed. Maybe she hadn’t seen what happened. “What are you sorry about?”

“I…” Chad swallowed, knowing he had to _man up_ and face the music but still so desperate not to ruin Evie’s fun. “I know I um- shouldn’t like that, but I- I did.” He hung his head, waiting for the shame of it to destroy him. “…I’m sorry.”

In his peripherals, he saw Mal share a look with Jay before she slunk down beside Chad. “Was that something your old girlfriend told you?”

Chad nodded weakly, hating himself all over again. He hadn’t even known that was a thing, that you could touch _there_ sexually, but then last year for his birthday Audrey had hired him a personal masseuse. She’d even sat and kept him company while the masseuse worked the tension out of his body, and it all seemed to be so unspeakably wonderful until the man had pulled Chad’s towel off and started massaging the muscles of his butt. And then he’d- he’d massaged _inside_ of Chad, and it had been so weird at first and Audrey was just watching and then somehow it had melted into something _good_ , something exciting, and Chad had to bite down on his lip to keep from moaning though it hadn’t stopped him from getting aroused. He’d tried everything he could think of to get his predicament to go away, but the masseuse’s fingers were so firm and sure, pumping in and out of him, that soon Chad had completely fallen apart on the travel massage table. 

Audrey had been furious that he’d managed to get worked up over what was supposed to be a basic massage. She’d apologized to the masseuse profusely before making Chad clean up the mess with his tongue, belittling his lack of control and _debase tendencies_ all the while. If he’d been a _real man_ he wouldn’t have liked that, but of course he was a dumb sissy who _liked_ gross stuff like that.

It had taken weeks before she would talk to him again, and those were some of the worst weeks of Chad’s life. 

So Chad knew it was a bad thing, hadn’t ever tried to stimulate himself like that ever again. He didn’t want Audrey to be ashamed of him, and he especially didn’t want _Evie_ to either, Evie who thought he was _sweet_ and _thoughtful_ and didn’t know he was a sissy.

“Okay,” Mal repeated, cupping Chad’s face between her palms. “That’s wrong.”

“I know,” Chad sniffed, lowering his gaze.

“ _No_ ,” Mal sighed. “What she said was wrong. There’s nothing wrong with anal sex.”

She’d- she just came out and _said it_ and Chad didn’t know what to do, stared at Evie hopelessly to see if that was right but she only smiled, pressing a kiss to Carlos’ forehead before shifting away. She crawled higher onto the bed, motioning Jay out of the way so she could settle on Chad’s other side – Jay moving to cuddle Carlos with a few grumbles.

“She’s right,” Evie confirmed, pressing a kiss to Chad’s shoulder. “There’s nothing wrong or dirty about anal stimulation, but if you don’t want to do that, we won’t.”

“You… you wouldn’t be mad?” Chad asked carefully, fingers curling in the fabric of his shirt.

“Of course not,” Evie hummed. “We can go back to what we were doing before. Mal was giving you such a lovely handjob.”

“No, I mean-” Chad flushed horribly, all the way down to his toes. “If I- If I wanted him to keep going, you wouldn’t- that would be okay?”

“That would be _more_ than okay,” Jay groaned, nuzzling Carlos’ head. “ _Fuck_ , Evie.”

“That would be okay,” Evie confirmed. “It would not make me angry or like you less. In fact-” She kissed Chad’s curls this time. “It would make me happy knowing that you’re taken care of.”

“…it would?” No one- not even Audrey really cared about Chad’s feelings, and the thought of being looked after- that was overwhelming.

“Very much,” Evie confirmed with a hum. “Now, would you like to keep going with Jay? Or shall I stay right here?”

“There are no wrong answers,” Mal told him, gaze uncharacteristically serious (at least, it wasn’t usually this serious when aimed at Chad).

Chad thought about it a moment, thought about how Jay had wanted to give him something _nice_ and how Chad… well, he _did_ like it.

“Okay,” he said, and then Jay let out an immediate _‘Woop!’_ , swapping out with Evie once more so he could cozy up to Chad’s back again.

“I am going to _rock your world_ ,” Jay promised, sucking lightly on Chad’s neck while he applied a new layer of lubricant to his fingers.

“You’d better do it carefully or you won’t be rocking anyone else’s world anytime soon,” Mal muttered.

And then Jay hummed, taking the order for what it was, and pressed another finger against Chad. 

Now that he was ready for it, accepted that it could feel good, Chad shuddered, shifting his hips back into the stimulation.

“Mercy,” Jay muttered, sounding… awed.

“No,” Mal huffed back. “ _Chad_. Now get going.”

And he did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, party people!!! Thanks so much for the deluge of feedback and support!! Your enthusiasm always makes my day, and is greatly appreciated! 
> 
> Fun fact – I finally figured out how to properly imbed pictures into my stories!! It turns out the process yes waaaaaaaaay easier than I thought it was, almost like – embarrassingly so. So if you by chance have any fanart that was inspired by one of my stories (or picture collages/mood boards, it’s all groovy to me), please let me know and I’ll include them in the appropriate story! I love looking at the stuff you guys make; it totally blows my mind every time!!! :D
> 
> Story notes:
> 
> In the US, there’s two different ways to schedule classes. One way is to have eight shorter periods all in one day. The other way is to have four longer periods per day, trading off classes every other day, for a total of eight classes. That’s block scheduling, which is what I’ve decided Auradon Prep uses in this particular story.
> 
> Marsaili, like Malvin, is made up for the purposes of this story. 
> 
> I know nothing of photography, but I assume swapping lenses is a thing that can indeed happen ^_^
> 
> WARNING – Referenced Sexual Assault – takes place in the final scene. Chad thinks back on a special massage Audrey arranged for one of his past birthdays were the masseuse definitely took advantage of him. It is not graphic and is only a paragraph long, but if you would prefer to skip that, look for this:
> 
> In his peripherals, he saw Mal share a look with Jay before she slunk down beside Chad. “Was that something your old girlfriend told you?” 
> 
> You can jump back in two lines later at:
> 
> It had taken weeks before she would talk to him again, and those were some of the worst weeks of Chad’s life. 
> 
> Until next time


	6. Hide and Seek

They started making rules, after that.

Well, Mal started making rules, and the rest of them added their own critiques, and Chad was even allowed – or really, _encouraged_ to help. It was amazing.

“I fucked up a little bit,” Mal admitted, which thoroughly blew Chad’s mind. “We’ve been with each other so long that we don’t really have to ask what we’re comfortable with – we just know it. You, on the other hand-” She said, pointing towards Chad. “Are entirely new to this – to us, so we’re going to take things back a few steps.”

“…okay?” Chad said, wondering if he’d done something wrong. Or if this was the prelude to something wrong. 

Then again, no one was frowning, which was usually a good sign that things were alright.

“It’s like the kissing thing,” Evie explained. “You don’t have to wait for us to instigate things in order to be intimate with us, you can do that yourself if you want. And similar to that, if you’re _not_ up for being intimate – or a certain type of intimacy – it’s okay to say no. We’ll figure something else out.”

Chad just sort of stared at her. Evie had never tested him before, not like Audrey had, and he was pretty sure she wouldn’t start doing it now out of the blue, but it still seemed too good to be true.

“…I um- like it when you touch me, though,” he admitted, his cheeks flushing dark at the admittable crassness.

But then Evie was grinning, so he figured it was okay. “And I like it when you touch _me_ ,” she said. “So do the rest of us – but if you’re ever not feeling up for it, or want to take it slow – that’s perfectly okay too. We wouldn’t hold it against you.”

“I’m not always up for stuff,” Carlos volunteered, making Chad blink. “And sometimes Mal prefers to watch.”

“For the record, I am _always_ up for stuff,” Jay said with a wink, something that made the heat in Chad’s cheeks intensify.

“But it’s okay if, on occasion, he wasn’t,” Evie added. “Do you understand?”

“Um…” Chad thought he did, for the most part. “What if you’re not around?”

Was he only supposed to do stuff with the others when she was nearby? It seemed like an overwhelming prospect. Granted, Chad had heard of the term ‘friends with benefits’ before, but he’d never thought it would apply to him, mostly because he barely had any friends, let alone friends that liked him enough to give _benefits_.

Audrey had said that only um- slutty people did stuff like that, but Evie definitely didn’t seem like a slut – just a person who liked to take care of her friends.

_Oh_ , maybe this was- she was letting Chad _help_ her take care of her friends. Oh wow, she trusted him enough to do that. Chad was _trusted_.

It helped that he really liked the other three a lot. Not more than Evie of course, but there was a distinct fondness and appreciation for each of them. And like, maybe he’d never really considered what it would be like to be with a guy because that wasn’t a long-term option for him, but he could admit that Jay and Carlos were objectively cute, especially when Carlos got all flushy and Jay started smirking. It was very good.

“What’s mine is yours,” Evie said, and with Chad’s understanding of Isle culture, that rightly blew his mind. Crew was a gift, not one that was given lightly, so Evie really _did_ trust him. Oh wow, _oh wow_. “You don’t have to hold back your affections when I’m not around, Chad.”

“And um- you don’t either,” Chad said, realizing that he could be _hogging_ Evie from the others which was just- unacceptable. Evie was too brilliant to be hoarded. Maybe that was the mistake Chad had made with Audrey – he’d tried to keep her all to himself, of course she had to break up with him. Really, he’d been kind of unreasonable, now that he thought on it. 

Evie’s smile widened, her eyes seeming to get shiny with an unreadable emotion. “Thank you, Chad,” she said, gliding forward until she could cup his face between her hands, looking on him like he was some kind of treasure. “I’d like to kiss you now, if that’s okay.”

“Yes, please,” Chad said, and then she did just that, and he didn’t even have to fight for it and it was very nice and he lost a moment wondering how he could ever feel happier.

“Hey, hey,” Jay said, poking Chad’s bicep when they broke apart. “May I also kiss you?”

“ _Um_ ,” Chad said, because there was theoretical affection and then there was the fact that Jay actually wanted to touch lips with him. Jay – who was like, the ultimate ladies’ man. “Yes.”

“Thank you,” Jay said, and it wasn’t even mocking, and then he was pulling Chad into a kiss that was just as slow and easy as Evie’s – and maybe it was a little weird because his lips were thinner and his jaw broader but he was still just as careful as Evie because he wanted it to be good for _Chad_ , and that was amazing enough that Chad lost himself to more overwhelmed happiness. 

“Us too,” Mal said when Jay pulled back, the half-Fae dragging a blushing Carlos into view. “If you’re up for it. It’s okay if you’re not.”

“You know you guys are awesome, right?” Chad asked with a blush. “I’d be lucky to kiss any of you.”

“True,” Mal agreed, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “That doesn’t mean you’re always up for it.”

“Well, I am now,” Chad said, and then he got an armful of Carlos, who was slighter than Jay but seemed to _cling_ to Chad and that was- oh boy, what a world he lived in.

“Good?” Mal hummed before she went in for her turn.

“Great,” Chad replied, and it wasn’t even close to being a lie.

-:-:-:-:-:-

“Please,” Jay scoffed, digging into his slice of quiche with a veracity that could only be matched by true Sardinians. “You _absolutely_ do not have the stealth skills to sneak out of the dorm.”

“I do too,” Chad pressed, feeling emboldened by Evie’s fond look of amusement. Normally Chad wouldn’t brag, but it always seemed to make the princess smile for some reason, so Chad tried to boast in a way that would at least bring her joy, as well as some minor ego stroking for himself. “I am the Hide and Seek _champion_. I used to play that game with Audrey all the time and she could never find me.”

“What’s Hide and Seek?” Carlos asked, digging into his salad as he stared longingly at the chocolate cupcake sitting on its own little plate.

“It’s a game kids play in Auradon,” Lonnie explained. “Usually outside. One person is the ‘seeker’, and their job is to count to like – fifty or whatever, while everyone else – the hiders – find a spot to, well, hide.”

“And then after the time limit’s up, the seeker tries to find them,” Chad picked up. “Audrey always wanted to be the seeker, but I tell you what, she was _really_ bad at it.” Or Chad was just that good at hiding. “One time, I managed to stay hidden for eight hours. We only ended the game because night had fallen and it’d started raining so I had to come inside, otherwise she definitely would not have found me.”

Chad had been very dedicated too, huddling in his selected spot while the storm raged above him, soaking him to the bone. He’d only left his tree when he could no longer be sure of his grip, traveling through the mud and dirt to find the relative safety of Ulstead Castle. Audrey had been so far off track she’d been searching for him in the lounge, and then she’d gotten mad at _him_ for dragging mud all over the floor, which was fair. Chad definitely should have taken off his shoes. He wasn’t the smartest kid.

Upon recounting this fond anecdote, Chad thought he would have gotten at least a few chuckles, but the others just seemed to stare at him in silence, their expressions not seeming close to happy at all.

Eventually, Doug broke the silence. “Did she usually take that long to find you?”

Chad perked up. “What can I say? I’m really good at hiding.” Usually it took her around five or more hours to track Chad down. “Got to the point where I started taking a book with me.”

Or, in later years, his tablet so he could keep up with his schoolwork.

On Chad’s other side, Ben seemed tense, staring at the blond with an almost unhappy look on his face. “When was the last time you played with her?”

“I dunno.” Chad shrugged. “Two months ago, maybe?” It had taken almost the full day for her to find him that time, but Chad had enjoyed the summer breeze and the opportunity to work on his tan. 

Audrey liked his tan, she said it made him look _sexy_.

Mal cocked her head to the side. “Why would you play with her?” she pressed. “It seems like she was just trying to get rid of you.”

“What?” Chad blinked, trying to process this because sometimes Auradon culture stuff got lost in Isle-translation when it came to Mal and the others. “No she didn’t. Audrey’s my friend.”

Or, until recently, his girlfriend. She loved him. 

“Chad…” It was Lonnie that spoke up next, looking semi-regretful. “I think Mal’s right about this one.”

“No, she’s not.” Chad frowned, turning to look at Ben. Ben would know, he’d been friends with Audrey for as long as Chad had. “She played with you, didn’t she?”

Ben gave him a careful look, the way he did when he reviewed Chad’s worksheets and most of the answers were wrong because he was stupid and had gotten his assignments mixed up with Audrey’s. “No, Chad. She didn’t.”

“She didn’t play it with me either,” Jane spoke up quietly, hunching under everyone else’s attention.

“Maybe she was just shy about how bad she was at it,” Chad offered, trying to make sense of it in his brain. “But she knew I didn’t care.” 

Yeah, that was it. She wasn’t afraid of failing Chad because Chad would love her no matter what. Unlike everyone else, Chad was willing to stay outside in the freezing cold for six hours just so she could get better at tracking. Chad was a giver like that. Chad _gave_. 

“Dude.” Carlos scrunched his nose. “Take a hint – she doesn’t like you. And by the sound of it, she never has.”

Chad waited for someone else to object, because Carlos was a new kid and he didn’t understand the way it worked with royals, he didn’t get the nuance and the loyalty and the detached interest to keep things special. So Chad sat back and waited, waited for Doug to explain that he was wrong or for Jane to softly correct him or for Lonnie or Ben to say differently in their own dedicated ways.

Except no one said anything. No one even looked like they _thought_ about saying anything.

“That’s not true,” Chad spoke up quietly, wondering if he was the one who was supposed to take the lead since it was his friendship that was being put to question. “Audrey likes me.”

She said so. She liked it when Chad carried her things and when he complimented her and when he drove her around and when he followed her directions. Audrey liked him a _lot_ – she’d dated him for like, eight years, and she’d only broken up with him so she could be queen.

“Chad,” Ben said – quietly, delicately, voice low enough so that it was kept between them. “Based on what Audrey’s said to me… I think Carlos might be right.”

It felt like the ground was falling out from under Chad.

“She- she said stuff about me?” Chad asked. “About how…”

He didn’t know how to finish the sentence, because he’d only ever done what Audrey asked him to do and tried to be the perfect boyfriend in every way and she’d always seemed _okay_ with that, even if he had never been good enough to go public with their relationship.

Ben’s gaze was sympathetic. “I’m sorry, Chad,” he said quietly. “But hey, you’ve got plenty of friends. You don’t need to have everyone like you.”

But there was a difference between _everyone_ and _Audrey_ and Ben should know that since he was _dating_ Audrey.

Chad didn’t know what to do, wasn’t sure if he could breathe. “I um- I think I left a book in my locker,” he declared, rising from the table in shaky movements. “I’ll see you guys at practice.” At Tourney practice, that game he’d committed to because Audrey had wanted to date a _jock_ and it would make him seem so much more _manly_ and didn’t he want to be _manly_? 

He dumped his tray and left before he could really think about it, wondering if this was one of those things he could text Audrey about or if he had to figure it out on his own and all he could think about was the way Ben had said- _Ben_ thought-

Chad just needed to keep going, he didn’t have time to be a baby. Audrey wouldn’t want him to be a baby.

He was fine. It was fine.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Chad waited until after cheer practice because sometimes Audrey liked to stay behind and bask in her superiority, running through some basic tumbles and reveling in the skill she had worked so long and hard to cultivate. Chad would know because he’d been there, helpfully parroting the advice her private instructor had given her as she ran through drills in her castle’s private gym. A lot of times he even spotted her for the harder stuff, which had only ended with one broken arm on his part, but Audrey had been safe and King Phillip had been especially grateful and that had been more than enough to guide Chad through his recovery process. 

He hadn’t even changed out of his sweaty practice gear, which Audrey wouldn’t like but there was a chance that Audrey wouldn’t be happy no matter what and Chad needed to talk to her _now_ , he needed to know-

So he waited, and managed to corner her when she had the space all to herself, humming a cheerful tune under her breath.

“Hey um- Audrey?”

She turned at the sound of his voice, gaze narrowing in distaste when she caught his sweaty form. “What, Chad?”

“Sorry,” he offered habitually. “I had a question.”

“You couldn’t have texted me?” she pressed, collecting her gear and deftly tucking it into the designer equipment bag he had gotten for her last Yule.

“It’s important.” Chad had to force himself not to mumble, not to cower under her frustration because it was well deserved and he needed to _step up_ and if he didn’t _step up_ what good was he anyway? “We were talking about you at lunch…”

“You were?” Audrey’s attitude did a complete one eighty, her annoyance melting away into curiosity. “Why didn’t you lead with that?”

“Sorry,” Chad repeated. “But um… Ben said… _they_ think that you don’t like me.”

Chad waited for her to say something, maybe not to rush to assure him otherwise because Audrey wasn’t that kind of princess, but maybe like, a roll of her eyes and a casual dismissal or something, and then Chad could go back to living his life of holding hands with Evie and knowing that someone out there loved him. 

But Audrey didn’t say anything, she just sort of stared at him, like she was waiting for him to continue. Like what Chad had just said couldn’t have possibly been the issue.

Things only got worse when she cocked her head to the side expectantly. “… _and?_ ”

It felt like his throat was trying to close up, but Chad couldn’t break down now, because maybe he was just misunderstanding. “And that’s not true, right?” he asked, cheeks flushing with shame. “I’m sorry I have to ask-”

“Of course it’s true,” Audrey scoffed, shouldering the color-coordinated bag Chad had spent hours working on.

Chad felt his expression crumple, heat welling behind his eyes because he’d thought- he’d done everything _right_.

“Don’t cry,” Audrey ordered, and Chad rushed to scrub at his cheeks because he couldn’t _embarrass_ her, he wasn’t supposed to be an _embarrassment_. “Ducky,” she sighed, stepping forward. She curled one hand against the collar of his uniform, letting that act as an anchor for his drifting thoughts. “You are fundamentally dislikable, okay? It’s not just me – nobody likes you.”

“What?” It was like a rush of static had burst through Chad’s ears, ice crawling all over his body as his basic understanding of the world was entirely ripped apart. “But… but Evie-”

“She _pities_ you.” Audrey rolled her eyes when she explained it, which meant that should have been obvious. “I pity you. _Ben_ pities you. The only reason anyone talks to you is out of pity, Chad, it’s not because you’re a peach to be around.”

But the- the kissing and the rules and-Chad thought-

“But Ben said- he said I had other friends.” Chad’s breaths were coming faster than they should be, but it was hard to focus on that when he thought of the apologetic expression Ben had on his face at lunch.

“That’s _Ben_ ,” Audrey groaned. “You know he’s too nice for his own good. That’s why he still hangs out with you – you have to know that, Chad.”

“But then- why- why did you date me?”

“We _didn’t_ date,” Audrey reminded him, because Chad had never publicly earned that so it didn’t count. “And it was because I’m a kind person, Chad. Despite your numerous faults, I’m… _comfortable_ with you. Which is why you’re my backup.” She let go of his uniform so she could pat him on the cheek. “Which is really generous of me, if you think about it.”

All this time – it felt like he’d been betrayed, but he didn’t know by _what_. Maybe by himself, for being so fundamentally broken.

Chad knew he should agree with Audrey, he should thank her for her kindness and leave before he bothered her any longer, but there was another question lingering on his tongue. “But you… you said you’d love me. _Why_ did you-”

“ _Chad_ ,” Audrey sighed again, the tips of her nails digging into his cheek. “You of all people should know that you don’t always _like_ the people you love.” She stepped away from him, letting her hand drop before she broke skin. “I held up my end of the deal just like I promised. Don’t get accusatory on me.”

“I’m not,” Chad rushed to say. “You’ve always treated me well-”

“Then why are we having this conversation?” Audrey asked, tossing her ponytail over her shoulder.

“Just-” Chad swallowed. “If- if you didn’t want me to be around, why didn’t you just say so? Why did we play Hide and Seek?”

It took Audrey a few seconds to catch up, but when she did, she started walking away. “Because you would have been a _baby_ about it,” she grumbled. “Kind of like you’re acting right now.”

And no one wanted to hang out with _babies_. No one wanted a child who was incapable of keeping their cool as a partner. Maybe that was what was wrong with Chad.

“Sorry,” he murmured.

“Whatever.” She dismissed him with a wave of her hand. “I don’t want to talk about this again. Be a good boy and try not to bother anyone else about this, okay?”

“Yes, Audrey.” Chad watched her retreating back until she pushed her way out of the gym, leaving him alone in the cavernous space, his heart pounding in his chest. 

She had to be right, Audrey was _always_ right. Maybe this was why his father didn’t talk to him anymore, why his grandfather never hugged him.

It seemed so obvious, in retrospect. 

With a swallow, Chad fought to keep his head held high like a true prince, walking in careful, measured steps back to his dorm room. It would be fine. He would be fine. He just needed to pretend everything was the same as it ever was, even if it wasn’t. Even if it would never be again.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Like he did any other time he felt particularly lost, Chad devoted himself to Audrey’s parting order. She told Chad not to bother anyone else about this so he didn’t, which for him meant to not bother people _at all_ because if he’d known they’d just been tolerating him he wouldn’t have sought them out in the first place. He started eating his meals by himself, taking long, meandering paths to all of his classes and hiding out in a private study lounge in the library to tackle his homework for the next few days. The only person he regularly saw was Fairuza for the policy edits and the Tourney team, but he’d taken to getting to practice early and changing before everyone else showed up and staying late until he had the locker room to himself. During practice they were always busy running drills, so he couldn’t possibly bother anyone with his presence. He was pretty sure if he was a hindrance to the team, Coach wouldn’t have put him as a starter, so he was probably fine there. 

It all seemed to be going well – though Chad was lonely. But he supposed being lonely was ultimately the kindest option he could take, and though he didn’t remember his mother, that had always been one of her greatest teachings. To be kind. So he did his best. Even if that meant he was exhausted by the time he made it off the Tourney field, coach having banished him before he could pass out, leaving him to trudge into the abandoned locker room alone.

At least, the locker room that _should_ have been abandoned. As it was, Chad got about five steps in before the front of his uniform was grabbed and he was pressed against a row of lockers.

“What the hell’s wrong with you?” It was Jay – angry and scowling, already changed back into his normal clothes with Carlos lingering behind him. At second glance, Ben was there too, which Chad didn’t have time to think over before Jay was shaking him. “You’ve been avoiding everyone all week. You’ve been avoiding _Evie_.”

“Jay-” Ben reached forward, maybe to stem the flow of violence before it crossed a line, not that Chad would ever press charges.

“ _Why?_ ” Jay snarled. “You’re making her sad.”

“I am?” Chad couldn’t fight the small tendril of hope that burned in his chest. Maybe Evie _didn’t_ just pity him, maybe she liked him for the stuff he did for her. Maybe she liked the fact that he carried her books and her trays and walked her to all her classes enough that it didn’t matter that he was unlikeable. 

Jay’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully. “Does that surprise you? Do you think she doesn’t have feelings?”

“Of course she has feelings,” Chad said, wrapping his hand carefully around Jay’s knuckles. “That’s why I was avoiding her in the first place.”

However Jay had expected him to respond, that clearly hadn’t been it. The admittance made Jay freeze, staring at Chad like he was some incomprehensible thing.

It was Carlos that spoke up next. “You’re avoiding Evie because… she has feelings?”

A well of shame burned in Chad’s cheeks. This must be what it felt like for Audrey to explain obvious things. “I was avoiding her so I wouldn’t _bother_ her.”

Because that was the nice thing to do, and Chad could be nice. He _could_. He wasn’t always a greedy little child.

Ben’s face did that thing that Chad now recognized as pity. “Chad, is this about that stuff with Audrey?”

Chad pressed his lips together, maintaining his composure because he was a _prince_. “I talked to her,” he said quietly. “And she explained to me um… everything.”

“Like what?” Carlos asked, sharing a confused look with Ben.

“Like…” Chad thought he couldn’t be more embarrassed, but he was wrong. “About how I’m… unlikeable.” At their lack of understanding, he elaborated, “ _Fundamentally_.”

“What?” Carlos didn’t seem to get it. “Like- as a basic understanding? Did she mean that your dis-likability is a universal given?” 

It sounded so much worse when it was put out there like that, but Carlos summed it up quite neatly. “…yeah.”

Jay cursed in what was likely Agraben, a scowl twisting on his lips. “ _Why_ do you even listen to her?”

“She’s my-” Not friend, not girlfriend- how was Chad supposed to explain it? “I’ve known her most of my life. She loves me. She doesn’t _like_ me, but she’s never steered me wrong before.”

“She _literally_ told you no one could like you.”

“Because they don’t,” Chad allowed, and it didn’t even hurt that much to admit. “They just pity me. So I thought- I mean, the nice thing to do was to get out of the way, so I did that.”

“Ben,” Carlos interrupted, his voice strangely detached. “What is _wrong_ with your girlfriend?”

“There’s nothing wrong with Audrey,” Chad cut in, because that needed to be said. “She was just telling me what no one else would.”

“No one else would tell you that because it’s not _true_!” Jay snapped, and for whatever reason, he seemed to believe that. 

Maybe- maybe Audrey had gotten the wrong read on the Isle kids. Maybe everyone _else_ didn’t like Chad, but they seemed to like rough and broken things sometimes – maybe he reminded them of home. Maybe they _did_ like him after all. They’d gone through the effort of cornering him. That had to count for something.

“Chad…” Ben stepped forward with wounded eyes – a _pitying gaze_ – searching Chad’s face as though it could glean him some further understanding. He was probably there because the coaches hadn’t wanted Jay and Carlos to be unsupervised, which was stupid, because Carlos was remarkably responsible. Enough for him _and_ Jay. “Maybe you misunderstood her. I’ll talk to her-”

“ _No_.” Chad reached out before he could remember that he _definitely_ shouldn’t touch Ben with his grubby hands so he was left with his arm just awkwardly hovering out there before he finally let it fall to his side. “She said I wasn’t supposed to bother her about this again. That includes _you_ bothering her about it.”

“Face it, Ben,” Jay growled, his hands twisting in Chad’s uniform even though he didn’t seem mad at the blond anymore. “Your girlfriend’s a bully.”

“She is _not_ ,” Chad pressed, tugging at Jay’s hands. They were stupidly resolute in their hold, making escape impossible. “Audrey’s strong and determined and speaks her mind, and if I can’t handle what she’s saying, that’s _my fault_ , not hers.”

“And when did she tell you that?” Jay challenged.

“Um…” Chad struggled to place the exact moment. “Sometime when we were eight?”

“Is that when you guys became friends?” Carlos asked, earning a scowl from Jay that the smaller teen completely ignored.

Chad shrugged. “Yeah. After my dad’s accident she said- she promised that she’d love me, since no one else would.” Chad hadn’t realized at the time that _‘accident’_ was just a nice word for something else. “And she did.”

There was a heavy silence, and Chad didn’t know what to make of it, except that maybe they were annoyed because he’d gone on about himself again. _Stupid_.

“Chad,” Ben eventually spoke up. “Are you upset with me for dating Audrey?”

“What? _No_.” Chad shook his head. “Audrey’s always wanted to date you, Ben. She’s really happy being your girlfriend, and you’re one of the best guys I know. So no, I’m definitely not upset. I’m glad you two have each other.”

“I wouldn’t be,” Jay muttered, but that seemed to be mostly to himself, so Chad ignored it.

“She’s really the best, Ben,” Chad offered, because Ben still had that weird look on his face. “Not that Evie isn’t,” he rushed to add. “Evie’s great. She’s nice, and smart, and creative and pretty. That’s why I avoided her. Because she deserves good things and um… that’s not me.”

“That’s not true,” Carlos murmured, stepping into Chad’s space, crowding in next to Jay. “You’re kind and thoughtful and smart too, Chad. Those are all _likable_ qualities.”

“Audrey’s wrong,” Jay growled. “And probably jealous of you anyway.”

“Me?” Chad couldn’t comprehend it. “I don’t have anything worth being jealous over.”

Audrey had two sets of grandparents _and_ two parents that adored her along with three kingdoms and _Ben_. What could Chad possibly have that was better than that?

“This has to be some kind of misunderstanding,” Ben said. He still looked dazed. “Audrey… Audrey’s not like that.”

“She _literally_ abandoned him for hours on end in the name of a game,” Carlos pointed out coolly. “I checked the security cameras for the last time they ‘played’. She had him waiting in a tree for six hours. She wasn’t even looking for him. How’s that for your _kind_ girlfriend?” 

“I was getting in her way,” Chad pressed, panic building in his chest. “I can be clingy. That was her nice way of getting space. She didn’t want me to cry.”

“Or she’s just a monster,” Carlos countered. “Which I’d know, because I’ve lived with one all my life.”

Ben took in a sharp breath. “Carlos-”

“No, Ben.” The young De Ville shook his head. “Keep your girlfriend away from Chad.” Carlos slipped his fingers into Chad’s hand, on _purpose_ , and squeezed it. “Come on, Jay.”

“Got it,” the other teen said, letting go of Chad’s uniform. He stalked over to Chad’s locker, pulling out the clothing bag that had already been packed and slinging it onto his shoulder, marching forward into Ben’s space until the prince had no choice but to retreat a few steps, enough so Carlos could pull Chad safely past him and towards the exit. 

They didn’t say anything the entire walk back to the dormitories, though Chad made a small noise of protest when he realized they were taking him towards the girl’s floor instead of his own room. 

Carlos ignored him, only holding Chad’s hand tighter, and then they were in Mal and Evie’s room, the two girls in question seeming to have been waiting for them. 

Carlos held up a hand before either of them could speak, turning to Jay. “Could you help Chad get cleaned up?” he said, motioning towards the bathroom.

Chad flushed. “I can do that on my own.”

He wasn’t _entirely_ incompetent.

Carlos turned, and instead of being annoyed because Chad had talked back, he cupped the blond’s face between his hands. “I know you can,” he said, voice soft. “I don’t want him to help you because I think you need it; I want him to help you because I want you to know that we care. That we _like_ you. That we don’t pity you, because you do such a good job of taking care of us.” He rubbed tiny circles against Chad’s cheeks, and it was such a small, dismissible motion that it made Chad feel fluttery inside. “Is that okay?”

Chad thought about it, unable to break away from Carlos’ steady gaze. Eventually, he nodded. “Okay.”

“Good,” Carlos said, letting go of Chad. He paused for a second, and then pressed a kiss to Chad’s cheek, making Chad shiver. He was still holding his cheek when Jay gently tugged him into the bathroom, the door shutting behind them like an ominous thing.

It was weird, sharing this kind of space with Jay. They’d cleaned up together a dozen times after practice and games, and sometimes they made out, but it was different being in _Evie’s_ bathroom, the other teen turning on the shower while Chad shrugged out of his sweaty uniform. It only got stranger when Jay started to help him, stripping Chad with practiced movements before he was shrugging out of _his own_ clothes because apparently they were gonna shower together and that was… weird. 

“This okay?” Jay asked when he was down to his boxer briefs, and Chad had seen him like this dozens of times before, but it was the first time that it preluded them showering together, and maybe Chad’s heart was beating just a bit painfully in his chest, but…

But Jay’s hand had been firm when he’d guided Chad out of the locker room, he’d been upset at Chad’s perceived pains, and he seemed to only want to take care of him in this moment. He wanted to help Chad. To be with Chad.

“Yeah,” Chad said, trying to will away his blush as Jay slid out of the last of his clothes. Oh, he was- yeah.

It should have been weirder. Jay was standing so close to him and he was _naked_ and his hands kept straying to Chad’s body, helping him wash his hair and his back and rubbing out the tension in his shoulders that Chad didn’t even know he had. 

When they climbed out of the shower, Chad didn’t know what to make of it, so he tried to ignore it, suffering the towel Jay dragged across his hair until they managed to pat themselves dry. 

Instead of letting Chad return to his school clothes, Jay forced a mixed accumulation of VK clothing upon Chad. The underwear was Jay’s – a new set from their impromptu shopping spree. The pajama pants were definitely Mal’s, if their slim fit and vibrant purple color was any indication, and the shirt was Carlos’ – a little tight but comfortable with soft hues of grey and red. The socks came in Evie’s colors – red and royal blue – and were fuzzy to the touch. Jay offered him one of his clean team hoodies for Chad to dawn over it and when the blond looked in the mirror, he was a little mismatched but a whole lot claimed, and he liked that. A lot. Enough that he wasn’t as afraid when Jay herded him out of the bathroom. 

Evie was waiting for him when he got out, immediately pulling Chad into her arms like he wasn’t more trouble than he was worth. “Chad,” she whispered, carding a hand through his curls. “Do you trust me?”

“Yes, Evie,” Chad said as he returned the hold. It wasn’t even a question.

“Then will you trust that I like you?” she pressed. “That I like spending time with you? And that I want to have you around?”

The words were so entirely contrary to what Chad had been expecting that he was struck still for a moment, but then he nodded, because he wanted that more than anything in the world. “Yes, Evie,” he whispered. “I’ll trust that.”

She squeezed him tight. “Good,” she said, and when she pulled back, her eyes were shining with unnamed moisture. “Now, we’ve got some catching up to do. Would you like to cuddle with us?”

“Please,” Chad said almost as soon as she finished talking, making her share one of those lovely laughs.

“Come on,” she said, guiding him towards her bed. She settled against his front, and he thought that’d be the end of it except Mal curled around his back, fitting against his spine as though she belonged there. Carlos settled behind Mal and Jay took Evie’s back, doing his best to wrap his arm around all of them, even though it wasn’t nearly long enough.

Evie let out a contented hum. “My boys,” she whispered, stroking Chad’s chin. “My lovely boys.” 

And Chad was- he was part of that. He _got_ to be part of that.

Sometimes he thought Audrey breaking up with him was the worst thing in the world, and then other times he couldn’t be more grateful, because if she hadn’t, he would have never gotten this. 

And he liked _this_. A lot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for all the lovely feedback!! Seriously, I know I say that a lot, but your critiques really help. It’s easy to miss stuff when you stare at something for so long, and your feedback from last chapter helped me tweak the opening scene of this one. I hope it addresses your concerns ^_^
> 
> Story notes:
> 
> Quiche is a French dish, and Sardinia (like Central Auradon) is based on France, hence the opening line of scene 2 ;D
> 
> Until next time :)


	7. A Ridiculous Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING – Physical assault in the third scene. See endnotes for more details. 
> 
> WARNING – Unhealthy Conditioning in the fourth scene. 
> 
> GENERAL WARNING – This chapter is very much permeated with low self esteem and the results of a toxic relationship for Chad. Things get better by the end of the chapter, but the first half is a bit rough.

They won the game. It had seemed like a near thing because as good as their team was, other schools tended to have more athletically-focused students, where most of the kids at Auradon Prep were, well, prepping to lead kingdoms, so Tourney was purely a recreational hobby. With Jay on their team though, it was like they were unstoppable, and Chad wasted no time climbing into the stands so he could celebrate with Evie. He wouldn’t touch her or anything because he knew he was sweaty and gross, but he was pretty sure she’d congratulate him and Mal might even give him that very tiny smile of hers and both of those things were more than enough to keep Chad riding the high of victory for hours on end. 

“Did you see that?” Chad gushed when he got to where Evie was standing with Lonnie and Mal. “Jay practically carried Carlos across the field! It was awesome!”

“Don’t tell him that,” Mal grumbled, but she was smiling, so she probably found the whole thing amusing. “Guy has a big enough head as it is.”

“It’s well deserved though, don’t you think?” Chad pressed, looking between Evie and Mal with a joy he could barely contain. It dimmed ever so slightly when he realized Evie’s smile wasn’t as brilliant as it normally was, almost reserved, like she was putting it on for show and not because she was actually happy. “Is something wrong?”

Evie’s expression faltered, but she recovered beautifully, sharing a look with Mal. “No, Chad. Everything’s okay.”

“Are you sure?” Chad didn’t want to bother her but he also didn’t want her to be upset. “I can change in like, five minutes, and then we can go wherever you want. We don’t have to stay or anything-”

Further conversation was interrupted by Ben taking over the PA system to give a victory speech, as was his right as future king.

And then Chad felt his world sort of fall apart.

Because Ben was- he was literally _singing_ to Chad’s girlfriend, and the band was playing along with it, like they’d practiced it. The whole team was dancing and acting as backup for Ben – who had a girlfriend, Chad’s _ex-girlfriend_ – to serenade Evie, who took the attention with a refined sort of poise that made Chad wither up inside. 

He couldn’t compete with _Ben_. He’d never been able to compete with Ben on anything, and now he was just- he _loved_ Evie? Why hadn’t he told Chad? Or broken up with Audrey? Why had he done this _here_?

Chad couldn’t cry, couldn’t be weak when Ben tossed Evie his Tourney jersey, the princess cradling it between her hands like she didn’t know what to do with it. He couldn’t really do much but stand frozen in shock when Ben body surfed his way up the stands, being settled near Evie with the biggest smile on his face, one that made him look actually alive instead of just politely present. 

Evie had done that. And Chad wasn’t surprised by it, because Evie was the _best_ , but that didn’t make this spontaneous _whatever_ hurt any less.

“Princess Evelyn Hatzfeld,” Ben huffed into the microphone, fixing Evie with his most charming smile. “Will you go to coronation with me?”

Chad held his breath, because this was the part where Evie said yes because Ben was going to be _king_ , and even if she didn’t want to go with him it would look bad on her if she didn’t and then Chad would- he didn’t know what. He didn’t know what he was supposed to _do_.

Evie’s grip tightened on the Tourney jersey. “Only if you invite Chad,” she said clearly, distinctly, for _everyone to hear_. “Since we are a package deal.”

Ben paused, clearly thrown by the addendum, which made two of them and also everyone else in the audience because Evie had just negotiated with the future king for _Chad_ , who was a _loser_. 

Ben was confused for all of a second, and then that brilliant smile returned. “Of course!” he cheered, making the stands erupt in applause around them. “Of course, I meant both of you. I want to take both of you.”

“Then yes,” Evie said, voice tinged in a sweet caress, grinning when Ben reached down to kiss her knuckles. 

And then he repeated the action on Chad, who did not know what was going on.

But then Ben was being carried away into the waiting arms of the team, leaving four bewildered humans behind him.

“What the fuck?” Lonnie said, and that… pretty much summed it up.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Chad did not storm his way into the locker room because he was a polite soul, and also because he really didn’t want to drag any additional attention towards him after he’d been greeted by Audrey’s dagger eyes from across the Tourney field. Luckily by the time he’d made it into the locker room, everyone else was either in the showers or mostly done changing, leaving Chad to corner a cheerful Ben as he dutifully packed away his gear.

“ _Ben_ ,” Chad hissed, trying to keep his voice quiet. He couldn’t cause a scene, even though his fraying composure made it seem like that was definitely going to happen. “Ben, what- what was that?”

Ben looked up from reorganizing his locker and grinned at Chad, seeming pleased he was there even if Evie wasn’t. “I don’t know,” he admitted with a sigh. “It just sort of hit me from out of nowhere how amazing Evie is.”

“I know,” Chad agreed, because that was a thing he marveled at every day. “But what about Audrey?”

“Oh.” Ben’s expression fell. “I should publicly break up with her.”

“Why didn’t you do that before?” That was a very un-Ben move. “Why didn’t you tell me you were in love with Evie?”

“I told you, it happened so fast,” Ben groaned, slumping against his locker. “I just- I couldn’t hold it in anymore.”

“But…” Chad didn’t know what to say, what to _do_. “What- what happens now? Are we both dating Evie?”

Ben hadn’t asked her but that was only a matter of time and of _course_ she’d say yes-

“No.” It was Carlos that said this. Apparently he’d been lingering nearby and their voices weren’t nearly as quiet as Chad had hoped. “Evie said you were a package deal, right? That means if anything, Ben is dating _both_ of you.”

_What?_

But Ben seemed to take this in stride, nodding thoughtfully before a smile broke across his face. “I like that. It’s like a two-for-one deal. Go me.”

“Wha- _Ben_.” Chad flushed, because even if Ben was going to be King of Auradon one day, there were still _rules_. “You can’t date me, I’m a guy.”

“Yeah,” Ben agreed. “And now you’re _my_ guy.” And with that, he grabbed onto the collar of Chad’s Tourney jersey, dragging him forward until he could press their lips together.

Ben was- he was _kissing_ Chad. On purpose. In front of other people Ben was kissing _Chad_ , and Chad didn’t know what to do besides melt into the contact because that was what he always did with Evie and then Ben was licking at his lips that must be sweaty and gross but it made Chad _whine_ while Ben deepened the kiss-

“Hey, now.” Carlos was batting at their arms. “Save some of that for Evie, okay?”

Evie. _Evie_. Chad probably wasn’t supposed to kiss other people without her permission, even if those people were Ben who took Chad by surprise. “Oh no-”

“Don’t panic,” Carlos ordered, likely knowing Chad’s train of thought. “Ben kissed _you_.”

“I did,” Ben chirped, looking very proud of this. _Why did he look proud of this?_ “Hey, can we meet up with Evie after you get changed? I wanna ask you two on a date.”

“Um- yes,” Chad settled on, because one did not deny Ben even if they were greatly, horribly confused by him.

_Ben had kissed Chad on the lips_. 

“Score.” Ben pumped his fist, and then pressed another kiss to Chad’s cheek before he moved to exit the locker room, whistling a jaunty tune under his breath.

Chad looked to Carlos, pressing a hand against his mouth. “Did that actually happen?”

“Boy, did it ever,” the young De Ville confirmed, and Chad didn’t know what that meant for him, except that maybe Fairuza was one step closer to being reigning queen because Ben had apparently gone _crazy_.

-:-:-:-:-:-

“ _Chad_.” Audrey’s hands had reached out from the shadows, snagging Chad by his curls and dragging him to a secluded place behind the yard house where she could most appropriately express her fury. “What the _hell_ , Chad?”

“I- I don’t know.” Honestly, Chad was just as confused as she was, and her yanking on his curls wasn’t making it easier for him to think. “I don’t _know_ , Audrey.”

“He was fine this morning,” Audrey snarled. “And then suddenly he’s all over _your_ girlfriend-”

“He said it hit him suddenly.”

“ _I’ll_ hit him suddenly,” Audrey snapped, punching Chad’s bicep with a swift blow that managed to sting through his letterman jacket. “Whatever. _Fuck_. Just- go break up with Evie so you can date me again.”

Except Audrey had already told him they had _never_ dated, and also- “Um… I don’t- I don’t think I can turn Ben down.”

Audrey stared at him, her fingers curling through the silky strands of his hair until it was pulled taunt, and then she kept going. “What do you mean, _Chad?_ ”

“Just-” Chad swallowed, wincing at the strain against his scalp. “I could have maybe broken up with Evie-” Even though he really didn’t want to, and he wasn’t sure what that said about him when Audrey was _right there_ and she wanted to date him again. “But when my grandpa sees that Ben asked me to coronation-”

“He didn’t ask _you_ ,” Audrey snarled, punctuating the words with sharp tugs of his hair until he was bowed forward, pained tears beginning to gather in the corner of his eyes. “He asked _Evie_ , and she was too big of a slut to cut you loose-”

“Evie’s not a slut.” A tight sort of feeling was building in Chad’s chest because he knew he shouldn’t talk back to Audrey but part of him _needed_ to be loyal to Evie but what about the part that was loyal to Audrey? Audrey _loved_ him, but Evie liked him and wanted him around – those two shouldn’t be equivocal and yet somehow, they were. “She’s devoted. We were already dating when Ben asked-”

“Which should _never have happened_ ,” Audrey hissed.

“But it did.” Chad felt helpless, confused as he was, still reeling from Evie’s tight smile and Ben’s kiss and Audrey who was just furious, who _always_ seemed furious and whose nails were digging into his skin. “It did and Ben asked us and now we have to go with him or-”

“Did you forget out deal?” Audrey snapped. “Because I held up _my_ end.”

“I know.” Tears stubbornly threatened to spill from his eyes. “I know, Audrey. I’m sorry. But it’s- you broke up with me because of Ben and I didn’t argue, because it’s _Ben_. And now I- I need you to understand. Because whether I want this or not, it’s happening-”

“You’re such a piece of shit,” Audrey muttered, pulling away from him with an inarticulate sound of rage. “I hope you know that. I hope you understand what a _shitty-_ ”

“And- and when they _do_ dump me.” Because they probably would, Audrey had and she _loved_ him. “Then I can and will proudly date you.”

“Spare me,” Audrey spat, backing away from him in angry strides. “I don’t know why I thought you of all people could be helpful. You’re such an incompetent piece of shit, Chad, and when they dump you, I’m going to _laugh_.”

“Audrey.” Chad’s throat felt thick with a desperate sort of emotion, chest squeezing at the fury emanating from the brunette. “Audrey, _please_. I’m sorry. I’m really sorry, I don’t know why Ben did this-”

In a few, furious movements Audrey was in front of him again, and then Chad’s head snapped to the side under the force of her blow, an open palmed slap that Audrey only resorted to when Chad was being particularly awful.

“You don’t know anything, Chad,” she murmured, voice low and almost threatening. “You _never_ knew anything until I told you, and now you’re choosing _them_ over _me_ , the person who’s loved you since your dad-”

“ _Audrey_ ,” Chad was crying now, because he really was pathetic. “I’m not- I’m not choosing them over you, I just- there’s _rules_ , and even though Ben doesn’t like me-”

“He doesn’t like _Evie_ either!” Audrey slapped him again, and then another time, because Chad was being especially stupid. “Don’t you get it? He’s… confused. Trying to sabotage your relationship. Trying to get between you and _Evie_ and the only reason you didn’t get left in the dust like _me_ was because Evie felt sorry for you.”

“Evie doesn’t pity me,” Chad sniffed, rubbing at his cheeks. He was lucky she wasn’t wearing jewelry. “She told me so. She likes having me around.” She promised. 

Audrey’s face twisted into a furious expression, and then she was striking him with a ferocity she had never used before, one blow following the other. “No one likes you, _Chad_. I already told you that. I told you _everything_ but you just keep listening to those Isle kids as though they’re not _using_ you-”

“Doug- Doug said he liked me too,” Chad said between blows, huddling in on himself and hoping her rage would fade soon.

“What the fuck does Doug know?” Audrey spat. “He’s not even entirely _human-_ ” 

A particularly hard hit caught Chad across the nose, and he wasn’t sure if she’d broken it but he was definitely bleeding, which would probably upset Evie when she saw it.

“Stupid,” Audrey was muttering under her breath, now exclusively hitting Chad. “Stupid, _stupid_.”

“Hey!”

The voice startled both of them, and Chad was surprised to find Lonnie, Jane, and… Aziz, for some reason, sprinting towards them, all of them wearing concerned expressions.

“Audrey,” Lonnie positioned herself in front of Chad, who hadn’t moved since the last time Audrey had hit him, save to try and stop his nose from bleeding. “This has to stop.”

“ _No_.” Audrey seemed close to the end of her wits, and Chad ached for her, wished he was good enough to take her into his arms and comfort her until things seemed okay again. “No, he attacked _me-_ ”

“No, he didn’t, Audrey.” Jane’s voice was soft when she spoke up, though no less furious. “I saw you drag him back here.”

“You’re lucky she didn’t get Jay,” Lonnie muttered. “Or this would be _way_ less pretty.” She glanced over her shoulder at Chad. “Are you alright?”

Chad, who had blood gushing from his nose, helpless tears spilling down his cheeks and could already _feel_ bruises beginning to form that he’d have to figure out how to cover with makeup because he didn’t want Evie to worry, or think he was a joke who couldn’t protect himself, was about as far from ‘alright’ as he could get.

Still, he tried to lie and say he was, and ended up just sort of sobbing instead.

Immediately, Jane had an arm wrapped around his shoulders, and was offering him a tissue from her purse. “Come on, we need to go see my mom.”

“The hell we do,” Audrey muttered, but Lonnie already had a hand around her wrist.

“Yes,” Lonnie hissed. “We _do_. Aziz?”

“Got it.” The other prince – who had been silent to this point, stepped forward. He took Audrey’s other arm, and like that, the five of them slowly made their way to Fairy Godmother’s office, Jane texting as they went. Chad knew he should contact Evie and the others, but he didn’t want them to see him like this. Didn’t want them to know how awful he actually was and then dump him, because Audrey wasn’t going to take him back now, he’d been too bad.

While that afternoon had seemed so hopeful and confusing, now there was nothing left for Chad. It was over, he was done. 

And he had nothing to show for it but a handful of bruises.

-:-:-:-:-:-

The wait outside Fairy Godmother’s office was nothing less than terrible, though Jane tried her best to make it better (Jane, who wasn’t entirely human either, and maybe _that_ was why she liked him). She kept an arm wrapped around Chad’s shoulders while Fairy Godmother talked to Lonnie, Aziz, and Audrey, and while that didn’t do anything to lessen his nerves, he did appreciate it, because it wasn’t an effort she had to make. She’d even offered to text the others, though her face fell when Chad all but begged for her to keep them away, to say that she and Chad had to work on a last-minute project for her mom so the others would go out and celebrate. She didn’t feel good about lying because she was a good person, but she’d done it for Chad, who was less than nothing, and Chad tried to hold onto that. 

Audrey had just been mad, she was confused. She had a right to be hurt and upset, Ben had dumped her in the worst way possible and then Chad hadn’t even kept up his end of the deal when Audrey had been his _everything_. He felt so mixed up, because he shouldn’t feel this attached to people who weren’t Audrey – the only reason Chad had gotten up to semi-likable was because Audrey had put in the hard work. 

It was _Audrey_ who had built him up from nothing. Audrey who had allowed him to call late at night when the loneliness had gotten too strong for him. Audrey was the one who had gotten him a nightlight because she’d been so sure his grandfather wouldn’t get him one, would likely think that Chad was ‘ _too old for such nonsense_ ’ and Audrey was the one who taught him about sex, who had pushed him to get into fashion and was his muse, his rock, his guiding light. 

Chad’s tutors had taught him proper decorum but Audrey was the one who taught him how to read between the lines, which was how he knew when his classmates didn’t want him around, which was always. That was knowledge she never had to share, but she’d done it for him, despite the fact that he wasn’t likeable, because she was generous and loved him. 

The longer they waited outside that office, the more Chad realized he had messed up. So what if his grandfather would have wanted him to go with Ben to coronation – _Ben_ hadn’t wanted it. He acted like it and kissed Chad because he wanted Evie, and Chad didn’t blame him for that because aside from Audrey, Evie was the best princess in the entire school, but he didn’t want _Chad_. 

He hadn’t been singing to Chad, he didn’t have the crowd spell out his name the way he had with Evie. Chad was just an afterthought, and Ben had fully expected Evie to break up with Chad then and there the same way Ben had with Audrey. Which wasn’t a thing Ben _did_ , but maybe that was the power of love. Maybe Ben was so in love with Evie that he couldn’t hold it in anymore, loved her so much that he was willing to take Chad as well. And that was just the worst, because then Chad was an _indulgence_. He was being indulged like a child instead of the prince he was, and Evie-

Evie had included him because Evie liked him and wanted Chad around and hadn’t expressed an interest in Ben, but how long would it be before she regretted that? Chad couldn’t compete with Ben. He’d never been able to compete with Ben - not in Tourney, not in romance, and not in the fight for the United Auradon Crown. If Chad dated both of them, Evie would immediately be able to spot his inadequacies, and then she’d dump him and Chad would be all alone after he’d all but scorned Audrey, who had been his _everything_. 

By the time the door to Fairy Godmother’s office swung open, Chad had worked himself into a true state of hysteria, though he tried to contain it, tried not to be such a _horrible mess_ and remind everyone why they didn’t like him in the first place.

“Audrey.” He was on his feet the moment she marched through the door, one of the Auradon Prep security guards holding her elbow. At her open look of fury, he sank to his knees, knowing it wasn’t enough but also knowing he had to try. “You’re right, I’m sorry.” He could sense Jane tensing behind him, the young fairy having also gotten to her feet, but Chad ignored her, had to block out everything but Audrey. “I’ll break up with Evie and I’ll turn down Ben’s invitation. I was just being stupid – you know how I get. I’ll take you to coronation and everything will be fine-”

“Save it,” Audrey hissed with a toss of her curls, her pretty lips pulled tight in a frown. “You’re pathetic, Chad. I don’t want used goods.”

“I’ll do better,” he promised, a new wave of tears spilling down his cheeks. He was vaguely aware of Lonnie and Aziz posed in the doorway, watching this terrible exchange. “I got lost for a bit, that’s all, but I can do better, Audrey.” 

“Not for _me_ , you can’t.” She announced this as though it was indisputable before she allowed the guard to take her away, Chad’s world feeling like it was shattering around him. He tried not to cry in front of Audrey so she wouldn’t know how weak he was, but now there was no hiding it and she was _gone_. She, who had been Chad’s world. 

No amount of custom gowns or presents or changed test answers would make this up to her, because she’d realized what everyone else had already known when he was eight years old. He was pathetic.

Chad pressed a hand to his mouth to stifle his sobs, jostling the lip Audrey had busted but unconcerned with the pain. It was ultimately irrelevant compared to Chad’s future, where Evie would dump him and Ben would marry her and then maybe the VKs and Doug and Jane would still be friends with Chad but they probably wouldn’t because no one needed to be friends with Chad.

“It’s okay.” Jane wrapped herself around his back, and he distantly registered Lonnie watching the exchange before she went after Audrey, likely going to offer her friend some reassurance. “It’s okay. This is for the best, Chad. You’ll see.”

“Don’t say that,” Chad moaned, leaning into her comfort because it was all he could do. “Don’t say that, Jane. Audrey taught me everything and this was how I repaid her.”

“Hey.” Aziz crouched next to them, seeming confused but still talking to Chad for some reason. “Audrey brought this on herself, Chad. You didn’t make her hit you.”

“But she wouldn’t have needed to hit me if I hadn’t been so _selfish_ ,” Chad tried to explain. “She was just upset. She had a right to be upset, Ben was mean to her and then I was _dumb-_ ”

“Why don’t we have this discussion in my office?” Fairy Godmother’s voice drifted from the doorway, her brows furrowed in a gesture of concern, likely for her daughter, who befriended weak weirdos. “Come along, children. It will be okay.”

No, it wouldn’t, because Audrey was gone forever, but Chad kept those words to himself because he’d already made enough of a mess that day. 

Jane guided him into one of the chairs in front of Fairy Godmother’s desk and took one next to him. Aziz took Chad’s other side which was weird, and then things got stranger when Fairy Godmother didn’t go behind her desk but grabbed another chair instead, settling in front of them until they formed a loose sort of circle. 

“Now,” Fairy Godmother began with a tight smile. “I’ve heard Audrey’s side of things, but I was hoping you could tell me what happened, Chad.”

“Of course.” Chad nodded, gratefully accepting Jane’s preferred tissue to wipe away the newest snot and tears. “Um… Audrey was upset because Ben broke up with her.”

Fairy Godmother’s smile managed to get a bit tighter. “Yes, I gathered that much.”

“Right.” Of course, Audrey was always good at explaining herself. “And then um- she got even more upset because I’m supposed to be her backup but I um- didn’t do my job.”

“Backup, dear?” Fairy Godmother’s head seemed to tilt to the side in confusion, and Chad rushed to explain himself.

“In the very slight chance Ben broke up with her.” It was _supposed_ to be a slight chance. “I was going to be her boyfriend. Except then Ben asked me to coronation- well, he asked Evie to coronation but _then_ he asked me and I knew if my grandfather caught wind that I turned Ben down he’d be upset, so instead of holding up my end of the deal and breaking up with Evie, I said no and then Audrey had to hit me for being bad.” His hand twisted restlessly in the fabric of his pants. “But I deserved that, so you shouldn’t punish Audrey for it. She was just… really upset.”

“That is… a lot to unload,” Fairy Godmother admitted, and she was no longer smiling, her gaze seeming pained. “Chadwick, sweetheart, no matter how upset she was, Audrey doesn’t have the right to hit you. That’s against both the school rules and Auradon Law.”

“But I _deserved_ it,” Chad pressed, because she seemed to be missing that. “I can be very dumb sometimes. It’s not Audrey’s fault if she has to hit me to get it through my thick skull.”

Aziz looked like he was going to speak up but Fairy Godmother gave him a hard look before turning her attention back to Chad. “Dear, that is entirely untrue. As future leaders of Auradon, it is your duty to resolve conflicts without resorting to violence. No amount of ‘dumbness’ on your part would warrant an attack, and Audrey is very aware of that.” She reached forward to give his shoulder a few pets. “And you’re a very bright boy, Chad. You’ve got top marks in all of your classes. That makes you far from dumb.”

“I meant um- socially,” Chad sniffed, not sure what to do with that information. “She taught me how to interact with people, because I was dumb at it.”

Aziz made a face. “Before this year your barely talked to anyone.”

“Because I was _dumb_.” Chad wasn’t sure why he didn’t get that. “Audrey said I wasn’t ready yet, and Audrey’s always right.”

“Except she’s not,” Jane said, squeezing his hand. “She wasn’t right to hit you and she wasn’t right to call you dumb and she wasn’t right to leave you hiding in trees for hours on end.”

“We are going to touch back on that,” Fairy Godmother decided, sharing a look with her daughter. “But in the meantime, we’re going to address the issue at hand. Now that I’ve heard both sides of the story and have witnesses to verify the information, Audrey is going to be suspended from Auradon Prep for the next month.”

“A _month_?” Chad gasped. No wonder Audrey had been so upset. “But she’ll miss coronation.”

“That is the price of assaulting a fellow student, Chadwick,” Fairy Godmother informed him regally. “She would be expelled altogether were it not for her status.” As heir to three kingdoms. “Now, I’m going to have to contact your father-”

“ _No_.” Chad had already messed up too much that day, he couldn’t make things worse by dragging his father out of Sardinia. “No, you _can’t_.”

“Chad, honey, I have to.” At least she seemed apologetic. “It’s school policy whenever a student is attacked-”

“I wasn’t- it wasn’t an _attack_.” That was such an ugly word. “It was a punishment. There’s a difference.”

“Not in this instance.” She said it with a tone that brokered no room for arguments, and Chad allowed himself to fall silent, as he had so thoroughly failed. “I’m going to contact your guardians to alert them of the situation while you go to the nurse. And…” She chewed on her bottom lip for a second, and Chad couldn’t help but wonder how else this could go horribly wrong. “I’m going to assign you some mandatory sessions with the school counselor, dear. Just a few hours in case you wanted to talk about this Audrey business with a neutral party.”

“I’m not crazy,” Chad sniffed, rubbing uselessly at his eyes. He heard what the other royals said about his father, what they said about _Chad_ when they thought he couldn’t hear them. “I don’t need a shrink.”

“I never said you were crazy.” Because she was too polite for that. “But I think it would do you some good to talk this out with a fresh set of eyes, and counseling sessions are private. If anyone asks, you can say that you’re reviewing prospective colleges together.”

It helped that the school therapist also doubled as the guidance counselor, and Chad wondered if it was because other royals also wanted to avoid the stigma as being labeled as weak or crazy.

“But that’s something we’ll sort out later,” Fairy Godmother decided. “For now – Jane, would you take him to the infirmary? And Aziz, do know that everything we discussed here remains private.”

“Of course.” The other prince nodded, regal and perfect and everything Chad would never be. “Come on, guys.”

He didn’t even shy away from Chad when they exited Fairy Godmother’s office, happy to wrap an arm around his shoulders while Jane laced her fingers between his and it was strange, that Chad could fail so greatly and yet still somehow come out with comfort he didn’t deserve.

Still, Chad was a greedy thing so he didn’t say anything, happy to follow their lead as he tried not to cry.

If Audrey wasn’t going to take him back, then it was up to Chad to be the very best extra-boyfriend Evie could ever need. As long as he gave her no reason to dump him, she’d probably let him tag along. Granted, the idea of her marrying _both_ Ben and Chad was ludicrous, but she might let Chad be a part of her wedding party, and maybe… maybe Mal would date him? He was thinking she might, if he asked nice enough. She could certainly use him the same way Audrey had; Chad was good for that.

Yes, that had to be his new path going forward, but first he needed to get cleaned up. Things would fall into place after that.

Hopefully. 

-:-:-:-:-:-

For whatever reason, Aziz and Jane stayed with Chad while the nurse looked him over. They did x-rays for his nose but determined that despite some severe bruising, Chad was mostly fine. His lip didn’t even need stitches, and aside from cleaning the blood away and handing over some ointment, there wasn’t anything for the nurse to do but send him on his way.

Which probably would have happened if Mal hadn’t stormed in the door with eyes that blazed green with anger, Evie hot on her heels.

“What the fuck did she do?” Mal snarled, crossing to where Chad was sitting on an examination table before very carefully looking over his injuries. Despite her fury, her touch was light when she turned his head from side-to-side, taking in the extent of the damage with a firm scowl. “That _bitch_. I should burn her myself.”

“But you won’t,” Chad rushed to say, catching the way Aziz seemed to tense in his peripherals. “Because that would be illegal. She’s already being punished, Mal.”

“Not enough,” Mal decided, but then she wrapped herself around him in a tight hug the way she did with Carlos sometimes, like she wanted to protect him from the world, and Chad reveled in the attention like the greedy fool he was. She rested her head on top of his, though she was gentle, like she somehow knew that his scalp had already been thoroughly abused that day. “I don’t like it when people hurt what’s mine.”

“He’s… yours?” Aziz said, twitching under the weight of Mal’s furious gaze, but not so unsettled that he didn’t want an answer.

“Ours,” Evie corrected, stepping forward so she could wrap herself around Chad’s free side. “He’s _ours_.”

Just when Chad thought the tears had finally settled, more burned at the corners of his eyes. “But… I’m _useless_ ,” he moaned, turning into Mal’s shoulder. “I deserve this because I’m useless-”

“No, you don’t.” Evie’s voice was firm when she turned his face towards her, her gaze kind but certain. “Don’t say such things about my boyfriend.”

“But I’m a shitty one.” Chad should really try to regulate his breathing so he wouldn’t be such a mess, but he couldn’t help it. “And now that you’re dating Ben, you’re going to realize that.”

“ _We’re_ dating Ben,” Evie said, tilting their foreheads together. “We are _both_ dating Ben, and while that is a privilege he will have to fight for every day, you are not a negotiable part of that equation. You are a _guarantee_.” Her fingers started pressing against his scalp, easy circles that normally made Chad shiver, that made him feel more grounded. “Do you trust me?”

“Of course,” Chad gasped, because trusting Evie had always been an easy thing. “But you might not be able to help it because Ben-”

“Do you remember when you said everything I did was perfect because I’m me?” Evie interrupted, looking so beautifully composed. 

Against his back, Mal’s presence was firm and true, and that was enough to make Chad ignore Aziz and Jane’s attention. “…yeah?”

“Chad.” She brushed a stray curl from his eyes. “ _You’re_ perfect because you’re you. And as long as you’re you, I want to date you.”

“But-”

“No ‘buts’.” She pressed a gentle finger against his lips to silence him, careful to avoid the wound that was already scabbing over. “You are ours, which is not something we take lightly.”

“Nope.” Mal confirmed, her lips brushing against Chad’s shoulder.

“And as long as you _want_ to date me, you will be my boyfriend.” She said it with such wonderful confidence, as though this was a thing she could never doubt, and once again Chad had to wonder at how someone so amazing could have ever been trapped on the Isle. She deserved so much more than that. “Okay? I will have Doug write out a contract for us if it will make you feel better-”

“ _No_ ,” Chad urged, his eyes going wide. 

“No, it won’t make you feel better?” Mal asked. “Or no, you don’t want to trap Evie into something you think she will regret?”

It was the second one, but Mal’s tone very clearly said that was not an acceptable answer, so Chad just sort of said nothing.

A dark growl echoed from Mal’s throat. “ _Ours_ ,” she hissed, burying her face in his neck.

“It’s okay,” Evie said, even though Mal didn’t seem to think so. “We’ll prove it to you over time.”

She didn’t have to do that. “Evie-”

“Ours,” Evie simply echoed, the words definitive and warm, and Chad – even though he was at his lowest, even though he’d been justly punished by his ex-girlfriend – they still wanted him. They still cared that he’d gotten hurt. They still made an effort to reassure him.

_Finally_ , he allowed his arms to come up and return Evie’s hold, gratefully latching onto his perfect, lovely girlfriend. 

“Um… Mal?” Jane spoke up tentatively. “Could I um- talk to you about something?”

“Since you decided to come clean, _fine_ ,” Mal huffed, reluctantly detangling herself from their hold. It took a few seconds for Chad to realize that her statement meant that Jane had texted her after all, and Chad wondered if he should feel betrayed by that or grateful, and ultimately went with relieved because Evie was here and everything seemed a bit more okay. 

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you,” Evie murmured against his curls, holding him close while wiping away what remained of his tears. “I got pulled into an interview by the school news, and then Ben and the others showed up without you and we got Jane’s text…” She pressed a soft kiss to his forehead. “I don’t care if she’s gone, we’re not going to leave you alone like that again, okay? We’re going to make it up to you.”

Chad swallowed hard. “You don’t have to.”

“Yes, we do.” She was so beautifully sure. “You’re not alone, Chad. You’re one of us.”

One of them, and _Evie’s_ , and she was even willing to sign a contract for him (not that he’d ever let her do that, but _still_ ). 

Maybe he had done horribly by Audrey, but he could do better for Evie. She believed in him, and he didn’t want to disappoint her. She had already promised to tell him if he ever let her down and she hadn’t yet, so he just needed to take comfort in that. 

For the first time since Audrey’s confrontation, Chad felt something close to peace fall over him. Things could be okay, maybe, or at least closer to them.

No sooner did he have the thought then the door to the infirmary flew open, and in strode the worried visage of his father, Captain Anozie a half step behind him. It was such a startling picture that Chad froze, because as much as he had expected Fairy Godmother to follow through on her promise, he hadn’t expected his father to actually come, and he hadn’t expected him to come this _quickly_. He must have been visiting King Adam for his response time to be so fast, but Chad didn’t have time to focus on that because his father’s face was crumpling, shifting from overwhelmed concern to palpable despair, meaning a breakdown was eminent.

“ _No_ ,” his father cried, gaze focused on Chad as though no one else was in the room. “No, not- my sweet.” He moved to cradle Chad’s face, somehow taking in the extent of his injuries while also looking _through_ him, towards the ghost of someone who wasn’t there. “Oh, _darling_ – I’m so sorry-”

“Your majesty,” Captain Anozie tried to speak up, familiar with the fits his father fell into and giving Chad a look of sympathy like he always did. “Perhaps it would be best if we stepped away.”

Chad’s father didn’t seem to hear him. “I’m so sorry,” he kept whispering. “I couldn’t protect you, but I won’t let that happen again. You’ll come home; you’ll be safe. No one will ever hurt you again.”

“Dad,” Chad tried to keep his composure, though it was a losing battle in the face of his father’s tears, knowing that the pathetic underbelly of his family was being revealed to Evie who had just pledged herself to him because she didn’t _know_. “Dad, it’s me. It’s Chad.”

“You will be safe and sound,” his father was saying, lost in his optimism. “And you can garden and protect every animal you see and- and it will be lovely, darling-”

“ _Dad_.” Tears were beginning to spill down Chad’s face again. “It’s me, not Ella. I’m not Ella.”

“It’s your son, your majesty,” Captain Anozie murmured, both of his hands firmly on his father’s shoulders. “Not the queen, your son. He was injured at school, that’s why we’re here.” 

“My…” His father blinked, _painfully_ readjusting his perception to reality, seeing past blonde curls and blue eyes to realize that his wife was still, unfortunately, gone. “…Chad.” The seconds it took for him to steady his breathing were painful, but eventually he mustered a smile that even Carlos could spot as fake. “Chad, my boy, you’ve gotten so big. How old are you now? Fourteen?”

Beside him, Evie tensed, but Chad was familiar with this particular song and dance, and the feeling of inadequacy that came with it. “I’m sixteen, dad.”

“ _Sixteen_ ,” he said it like it was a wonderous thing, and maybe it was, but not for the reasons it would be for anyone else. “…It’s been sixteen years.”

“We should get going, your majesty,” Captain Anozie said, once he realized Chad’s father was as close to reality as he could manage that evening. “Chad’s friends will look after him.”

“Of course.” His father’s gaze was already starting to drift off, focused on some point in the distance that held no truths for anyone but himself. “Sixteen years…”

“It was good seeing you, your highness,” the captain offered as he gently tugged his father away. “I’m sorry it couldn’t be under better circumstances.”

“No worries, captain,” Chad said the words by wrote, a dead sort of feeling in his chest. “Always a pleasure.”

Chad felt sort of dazed when his father was guided out of the room, the captain keeping a firm arm around his shoulders while the king of Sardinia more or less drifted beside him. Practically speaking, that had been one of Chad’s better interactions with his father – at least he had been able to recognize who Chad was in the end – but that still didn’t make the knowledge that Evie had witnessed that- that the others had seen his father at one of his low points – any easier. 

He really was a good king, when he wasn’t reminded of all he had lost.

Aziz was the one to break the silence. “Chad, what… what was that?”

Chad sniffed pitifully, using his sleeve to wipe away the freshest swell of blood and snot. “My mom died giving birth to me,” he explained. “My dad um… didn’t take it well.”

“My parents said he got messed up after his accident,” Aziz continued, hopefully missing the way Chad flinched. “Did he hit his head?”

“…no,” Chad murmured, trying not to get lost of memories of blood and iron and small, sticky fingers.

That was all the reprieve they got before Chad’s grandfather strolled through the infirmary doors, wearing an expression of resigned exhaustion that accompanied most of his son’s mental breakdowns. 

“We were having a meeting with King Adam,” he offered by way of explanation, his hands carefully tucked behind his back. When he was younger, Chad had seen the posture as cold, but now he understood that his grandfather was only human, and that this was his way of maintaining some level of control. “I suppose this has to do with Prince Benjamin’s invitation?”

“Yes, grandfather,” Chad whispered, wiping away his tears without breaking eye contact. 

He was a _man_ , he needed to _act like one_.

“Obviously, he has no interest in you,” the Duke sighed. “But do try to keep him happy, Chadwick. After this debacle, it will take everything I have to mitigate the fallout from Auroria, forget negotiating a marriage contract with them. This, it seems, will be your only shot. Don’t waste it.”

“Yes, grandfather,” Chad repeated. He didn’t bother offering excuses because the Duke didn’t appreciate having his time wasted. It didn’t matter _why_ he had been punished, only that he’d gotten caught and now Audrey would suffer for it. 

“Aren’t you going to ask how he is?” Mal snapped, so suddenly that Chad had forgotten she was there at all, that there were others to witness this dress down. “Aren’t you going to ask what happened?”

The Duke deigned to give her a bored look, but Chad, who knew him better, could see the sorrowful exhaustion weighing in his gaze. “I know what happened and I can see how he is.” The response was kind, though Chad doubted Mal would see it that way. “Now, I must be going. I need to look after my son.”

“About that marriage contract-” Evie burst just as he turned towards the door – he’d been hovering near it the entire conversation, having never bothered to draw further into the room. “He can have one with me. I’ll marry him.”

Chad froze when his grandfather turned around, forced to swallow his protest because she couldn’t just _offer_ that.

Chad’s grandfather considered this. “…and how will it look for the prince of Auradon to take a betrothed couple to coronation with him?”

“It doesn’t matter how it looks,” Evie declared, her arm firm around Chad. “I already told him Chad and I are a package deal; this will prove it. If he wants anything more, he’ll have to marry both of us.” 

“A novel concept,” the Duke replied, tone carefully unreadable. “…but despite my respect for tradition, I am not averse to the prospect of change. Normally, I would be worried about your pedigree, but all of my sources mark your behavior as consistently kind.” Of course the Duke had looked into Evie, it wasn’t like he trusted Chad’s judgement, and Chad didn’t blame him for that. “In that case, I’ll speak to your sister as soon as I can. Though be warned, if you make one wrong move against Auradon, against Sardinia or Hanover, this contract will be null and void. Do you understand?”

“I do,” Evie said, as though she was already at the altar, and for once the Duke chose not to have the last word.

Instead he nodded, and just like that he was gone, leaving the five of them in a horrible silence.

“…what the fuck?” Aziz muttered, sounding terribly lost.

“That _asshole_ ,” Mal snarled, glaring at the door before she crossed over to Evie and Chad, wrapping herself around both of them. “That fucking _shit_.”

“Evie.” Chad felt a new wave of panic build up all over again. “Evie, you can’t marry me, we’ve only dated a couple of months. You could hate me in a few years, you don’t know what you’re committing to.”

“I’m committing to marrying you,” Evie said simply, and then, in a far less obvious manner, she continued, “You seemed willing to marry Audrey.”

Aziz cleared his throat. “ _About_ that.”

“I’ll update you on that later,” Mal snapped. “Fuck this whole stupid fucking _night_.”

“Mal-” Chad muttered, filling with new panic because Mal was the boss and Chad hadn’t even asked her if he could marry Evie and now there was going to be a _contract_ -

“You’re not in trouble,” Mal said, as though sensing his anxiety. “You didn’t do anything wrong. You’ve done _nothing_ wrong today and now we are going to take you back to our rooms, okay?”

“Okay,” Chad whispered, because if that was what Mal wanted, he would give it to her, and the prospect of doing anything else was far too exhausting.

“Good,” Mal said, and the declaration didn’t even sound derisive like it normally did. She turned her scowl on Aziz and Jane. “I don’t want to hear _shit_ about what just happened at school on Monday, do you understand?” 

Aziz held his hands up in mock surrender. “They’ll get nothing from me.”

“Me either,” Jane pledged, stubborn and true. It made Chad want to hug her, though he still wasn’t sure if he should be upset with her or not for her dragging him and Audrey to her mother. It might have gotten him a marriage contract with Evie, but it had also hurt Audrey, who’d already been hurt a lot that day.

He felt so torn.

“ _Perfect_ ,” Mal snapped, nuzzling against Chad’s shoulder. “Then let’s go.”

She kept an arm wrapped around Chad as they walked out of the infirmary, Evie keeping her arm hooked through his elbow and her free hand twined in his until he had more contact than he could possibly deserve, and they stayed like that the entire walk back to their dorm room.

Jay and Carlos were on them as soon as they walked into the room, Jay releasing a string of Agraben curses that Chad only caught about a third of. “That fucking little-”

“It’s done,” Mal said, her tone broking no room for arguments. “It’s done and over with and she’s going to be gone for a month. Therefore, we will spare her no more of our energy.”

“That doesn’t make it less stupid,” Carlos declared, marching forward so he could wrap himself around Chad in a rare show of affection. “Do you want a shower or cuddles?”

“Or food?” Jay offered. “Since you probably haven’t eaten-”

They were interrupted by a set of sharp knocks against the door, and Mal merely rolled her eyes before retreating to it, tearing it open with a furious snarl in preparation to warn off whoever was on the other side.

Except the person standing in the hall was Ben, and the moment his gaze locked on Chad he didn’t seem to have eyes for anything else, brushing past Mal without so much as an offered excuse.

“ _Chad_ ,” he said, tone broken and full of an unnamable emotion. Was it regret? “Chad, I’m so sorry.” He wrapped himself around the blond, seeming not to care that Carlos was already huddled against him, and reached one long arm out so he could touch Evie as well. “I didn’t know she’d do that. If I had, I would have protected you, I would have protected _both of_ you. I’m sorry.”

“Ben,” Evie broke in gently, her smile just a little too tight. “We appreciate the sentiment, but it’s been a long day, so…”

“Oh.” Ben blinked. “Right, I’ll just- do you need anything? Can I do anything to help?” He split his focus between Chad and Evie, which was kind of him, even though they all knew he was exclusively there for the princess. “This is all my fault. I’d just- I’d like to do something to make it up to you.”

“Then take us on a wonderful date,” Evie declared, even though she’d just gotten engaged to a guy who had gotten beaten up by a princess. “Next weekend.”

“Of course.” Ben grinned, a brilliant thing that made Chad feel weak at the knees. “Of course, I can do that. I _will_ do that. Thank you. I promise I won’t let you down, guys.”

“Make it special for both of us,” Evie said, and her smile seemed a little more genuine this time, which Chad was relieved by but also shaken from, because Ben shouldn’t waste time on _him_. 

“Evie…” Chad said, hoped it wasn’t a whine and got a kiss on the unbruised part of his cheek for the effort.

“Especially Chad,” Evie pressed. “Since your ex-girlfriend was the one who attacked him.”

“I can do that.” Ben punctuated this with a squeeze of Chad’s torso. “I promise to give you an afternoon you won’t forget.”

“Thank you, Ben,” Evie murmured, so genuinely grateful that Chad wouldn’t have known she was spitting curses not but ten minutes ago. “We really appreciate it.”

“Can… can I stay with you?” Ben asked, seeming torn by the praise and his own desires. “Just- I’ll stay out of the way, but…” He nuzzled against Chad’s shoulder and that was- Ben was nuzzling his shoulder like Jay did sometimes, only it was _Ben_. “I just want to remind myself that you’re okay. Or, as okay as you can be.”

Evie seemed better after the addendum, and after sharing a look with a frustrated Mal, she nodded. “Okay, but this is about Chad right now.”

“I know.” The gaze Ben aimed towards him was full of a warmth that threatened to ruin Chad completely, because the only person who deserved that kind of attention was Evie. “Is it… is it okay if I stay with you?”

Why he would want to, Chad did not know, but his grandfather had told him to keep Ben happy and Chad- he _liked_ having the future king around, even if he didn’t understand his motivations in the slightest. 

“…okay,” Chad allowed with a nod, and that earned him a quiet cheer from Ben that Jay rolled his eyes at. 

“We were gonna cuddle on the bed,” Evie offered, her voice shifting into that familiar caress from when they had first started talking together, which Chad was beginning to realize was a _flirt_ , but like, a flirt that tested the waters. “Would you like to join us?”

It was amazing, how brilliantly _flushed_ Ben’s cheeks got in response. “If I um- may, then yes. Please.”

“ _Fine_ ,” Mal groaned from behind them. “I’m gonna take the boys to go get some food.”

Jay frowned. “But _Mal-_ ”

“Where we will talk about unrelated things,” Mal continued, motioning for the two of them to follow her. “Don’t let things get too heated in here while we’re gone.”

It was Chad’s turn to blush, though hopefully his bruises covered it. “ _Mal_.”

Evie rolled her eyes, though she seemed to be grinning fondly at Ben’s sputters. “We won’t.”

It was Evie that moved their huddle towards her bed, Ben’s flush darkening all the while. She was the one that angled Chad between them, with her curled against Chad’s back and Ben pressed against his front, staring at the two of them as though Chad was a wonderous thing, as though he could see past the swelling and the bruises to someone worthwhile. Which Chad wasn’t, not really, but the _intent_ was there, so much so that Chad couldn’t help but wonder if maybe part of that song and dance had been for him as well, even if Ben hadn’t said as much the first time. 

“I’m glad you’re okay,” Ben whispered, rubbing small circles into Chad’s hands while Evie wrapped her arms around his waist. “Both of you. I’m going to give you the world.”

“I’d um- settle just for you,” Chad murmured, cheeks feeling hot but knowing the embarrassment was worth it for Ben’s responding smile. Either he was great at faking it or he really meant it, and that was a terrifying thing. 

Evie was going to marry Chad. If Evie was pledging to marry Chad, the only way Ben could have both of them was to _marry_ both of them and that would make Chad Lord Consort of Auradon, which would allow him do what he always wanted and help make Auradon a better place, but it was also overwhelming because he’d have to measure up to _Ben_ and _Evie_.

But that was- that was a future issue. For now, Chad had two people he admired very much cradling him between them, murmuring soft words of reassurance about how he was going to be okay, how _they_ were going to be okay, and that was all that mattered. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! Thanks so much for all the lovely support and feedback! I always love hearing from you guys, and I can’t express how much your enthusiasm is truly appreciated ^_^
> 
> I briefly considered following canon and having Ben fall in love with Mal, but switching his focus to Evie allowed me to really follow that angst rainbow :) 
> 
> Story notes: 
> 
> Evie’s last name, Hatzfeld, is from the real-life queen Queen Grimhilde was based on. 
> 
> The Captain of the Guard wasn’t given an official name in the live action remake of Cinderella, so I used the actor’s name – hence, Captain Anozie. 
> 
> Let’s pretend that the fixation Ben had on Evie made it so that he loved all the things she loved by extension, and maybe it was also mixed with some natural inclinations that were already there, but that was why he was so whole-heartedly into Chad. 
> 
> WARNING – Physical Assault – Audrey confronts Chad after Ben gets love potioned in the third scene, demanding that Chad take her back. This leads to an argument that ends with her attacking him. Prior to the actual assault, she has a tight hold on his curls, so if that makes you uncomfortable you could skip this scene altogether. To skip the attack alone, look for:
> 
> “Audrey.” Chad’s throat felt thick with a desperate sort of emotion, chest squeezing at the fury emanating from the brunette. “Audrey, please. I’m sorry. I’m really sorry, I don’t know why Ben did this-”
> 
> You can jump back in at:
> 
> “Hey!” 
> 
> WARNING – Unhealthy Conditioning – while a lot of the first half of this chapter is prevalent with the results of unhealthy conditioning, there was one line in particular that I thought might be troubling for people in which Chad tries to justify Audrey’s earlier assault by tearing himself down. It takes place in the fourth scene, when he’s talking to Fairy Godmother. If you would like to skip this, look for: 
> 
> “That is… a lot to unload,” Fairy Godmother admitted, and she was no longer smiling, her gaze seeming pained. “Chadwick, sweetheart, no matter how upset she was, Audrey doesn’t have the right to hit you. That’s against both the school rules and Auradon Law.”
> 
> It is the very next line, Chad’s line, that you need to skip after it, and then you can jump back in.
> 
> Until next time


	8. The Perfect Date

While Chad wasn’t looking forward to going to school on Monday, he’d long conditioned himself to ride the wave of life’s unpleasantries with a polite smile. He expected to be treated slightly different because Ben had asked him to coronation, sort of. He’d anticipated a few sympathetic stares, maybe a bit of jealousy from the few that didn’t understand he was a pity date, and not much else.

As was proving to be the new status quo for Chad’s life, his predictions turned out to be horribly inaccurate.

The students _did_ treat him differently, but it all seemed positive. On his way to class, other students would smile and wave at him, like they’d do with Aziz or Lonnie. His classmates actually turned to him for advice or for random speculation when they were given free time to review their assigned work. Princes patted his arm in the lunch line and princesses complimented his fashion and proudly showed off the dresses they had bought from his clothing collection. He even signed a few of his magazine spreads for princes and princesses alike, and by the time Tourney practice rolled around, he was overwhelmed by the inside jokes and easy comradery his teammates included him in, where they never would have made the effort before. 

It left him grateful, but horribly confused, and afraid that somehow, some way, the other shoe was about to drop.

“What’s up?” Ben asked – Ben, who had been terribly careful to give both Chad and Evie equal amounts of his attention and affection. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, just…” Chad dropped his voice so that only those changing closest to him would hear – Aziz, Jay, and Carlos perking up with interest. “Everyone’s being really nice to me and I don’t know why.”

Aziz’s expression shifted into something uneasy, even though Ben was the one who replied next. “Of course everyone’s being nice to you, you’re _amazing_.”

“Thanks, Ben.” Chad blushed, appreciating the lie that was, at least, enthusiastically delivered. “But um… they normally ignore me.”

“Yeah.” Aziz scratched the back of his head, gaze drifting somewhat bashfully downward. “That’s because they thought you were a snob. But I told them you weren’t, so-” He made a vague gesture with his hand. “ _Boom_ , you’re just like everyone else now.”

“They thought I was a snob?” Chad didn’t remember doing anything snobbish, but he also wasn’t great with social stuff.

“It was all that modeling,” Malvin cut in, having caught on to their conversation. “And the fact ye never talked to anyone. We all figured ye thought ye were better than us, didn’t realize that Audrey was bullying ye.”

Chad flushed, sorrow flooding through his chest. “She wasn’t _bullying_ me.”

“But um- she wasn’t as nice to you as she should have been,” Aziz interrupted before Malvin could reply. “She gave you some bad advice, is what I’m saying. Which happens, because she’s human and fallible just like everyone else.”

“We should have figured it out sooner,” Malvin muttered, pulling on his uniform in rough shifts. “I mean, aside from Ben, ye were the first one to befriend the transfer students. That should have been a damn clue.”

“I told you he was nice,” Jay said with a roll of his eyes. “And that’s coming from _me_.”

“We get it, you’re the big, bad Isle guy,” Malvin chuckled. “And you were right. Good on ye for taking care of Chad while the rest of us were too stupid to do it ourselves.”

“What?” Chad said, not really understanding the followed echo of thanks the other students gave Jay, or the way the Agraben seemed to preen under the attention.

“Just go with it,” Aziz advised. “It’s a good thing.”

“…okay.” Aziz seemed to know what he was talking about because _he_ was popular and he was smiling at Chad, despite the fact that Chad had suffered like, three breakdowns in front of him over the course of one night. If Aziz was still willing to be nice to him, maybe Chad should trust his intentions.

-:-:-:-:-:-

“Aziz.” Chad pulled the other prince aside as carefully as he could after Tourney practice, managing to convince Jay and Carlos to hang back while he had a private conversation with the prince of Agrabah. “Could I, um- talk to you for a moment?”

“Sure.” Aziz smiled, like this was a thing they regularly did, as though he hadn’t seen Chad at his lowest moment. “What’s up?”

“A- um… about my dad.” There was nothing about this conversation that was easy, and the way Aziz’s smile seemed to tighten didn’t really help matters all that much, though Chad could tell the other prince was trying hard to keep his cool. “I just want you to know he’s not always like that. He’s good to lead and stuff, it’s just- when he sees me…”

Chad forced himself to shrug. Aziz had already seen what would happen first hand.

The other prince’s brows furrowed together. “Then… wouldn’t he be like that all the time? Since he sees you every day? When you’re at home, I mean.”

“Oh.” Chad felt his cheeks heat with shame, and it took everything he had not to stare at the ground. “Um… no. I don’t see my dad that often. I think the last time I saw him before Friday was uh… Yule, last year.”

Maybe. Chad wasn’t sure.

Aziz stopped walking, stopped so he could pin all his focus on the weird, broken kid. “What about your grandfather? You- I mean, obviously you spend time with him, then.”

“No.” Chad shook his head, wishing that even a portion of Aziz’s statements were true. “No, he’s busy working with my dad.” Chad dug his toe into the dirt, even though it was _unprincely_. He wasn’t feeling like much of a prince right now, to be honest. “I mostly keep to myself.”

“And Audrey,” Aziz pressed, his expression carefully neutral.

Chad shrugged. “Before I messed up, yeah. Audrey was my only friend, after-” He made a vague motion with his hand. “-you know.”

“Yeah…” Aziz said, sounding distracted. “I _do_ know, because all of our grandparents told us to-” He cut himself off with a shake of his head, and between one moment and the next, he was smiling again. “But that’s behind us now. No, I’m afraid you’re stuck with me now, Chad, as well as the rest of the Tourney team, and all of the transfer students.” After a pause, he added, “And Jane and Doug. And Lonnie. And- anyway, it’s a long list. Point is, you’re not alone anymore, and you never deserved to be in the first place, okay?”

“O…kay,” Chad agreed because it was polite, and not necessarily because he agreed with Aziz’s statement.

“And don’t worry about any of the stuff with your dad,” Aziz continued. “I’m not going to tell anyone, I already promised Mal as much.”

“I know.” Chad flushed. “I just- I wanted you to know that he wasn’t at his best, is all.”

“And now I know that.” Aziz grinned. “And um… if you ever want to talk about family stuff, I’m here for you, okay? A lot of us are, but I’m _definitely_ here for you.”

“Oh.” Chad flushed. “Thank you, Aziz. Um… likewise.”

“I’ll take you up on that.” Aziz grinned, and it was so easy that Chad thought it might be true, which made the future seem that much brighter

Perhaps he could do this after all.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-

“My brother is obsessed with you,” Fairuza said during the tail-end of their next editing session. 

She delivered it with the same scrunched look of distaste that accompanied her thoughts on _gossip_ , though to be honest, Chad was more flabbergasted that she’d deigned to talk about social issues at all. Fairuza generally preferred to stick to business – it was one of the things Chad liked most about her. Well, that and the fact that she seemed to like him.

“Perhaps not obsessed,” she amended as she began to pack up her things, the young pre-teen moving in short, efficient movements. “But you _have_ caused him to reevaluate his world view, which I think will be beneficial to him.”

Fairuza was of the mindset that Aziz didn’t think enough, at least, not enough to befit his station, so Chad supposed she viewed this as a positive thing. 

“Um…” Chad chewed on his bottom lip as he repacked his bag. “…you’re welcome?”

“I suppose thanks were in order,” Fairuza allowed, which was how Chad got to know he had successfully navigated yet another conversation. 

As Fairuza was not a frivolous social creature, Chad figured that was that, and it may have been, but then the young princess paused, sliding her satchel onto her shoulder as she considered Chad carefully.

“Over the years we have worked together, I have grown to greatly respect you, Chadwick James,” she said, using the same proper form of address she seemed to revert to out of habit. “I was concerned at our initial meeting because I believed you, like most others, would consider my young age and lack of charisma a detriment to my abilities and dismiss me out of hand. That was never the case.”

“Of course not,” Chad said, shaking his head. “I read your proposals – they’ve always been brilliant.”

“Thank you.” The corner of her lip quirked up ever so slightly, which was the closest Fairuza ever got to smiling. “As are yours. This is why I always look forward to our legislature sessions. You consider me your equal in working to improve Auradon. For you, that is all that has ever mattered.” She nodded, seemingly to herself, as though confirming something. “I… have been careful to maintain professional boundaries with you because I did not want to tarnish our relationship, but in light of recent events, I wanted to say that I now, and have always, considered you my friend. And should you ever need it, my family is yours.”

“ _Fairuza_.” Chad felt his cheeks begin to heat with embarrassment. “Thank you. I’m- I’m honored, but I don’t think your parents-”

“My mother adores you,” Fairuza said, waving him off. “You will come to know this at my birthday party. Also, you are invited to my birthday party,” she added with a sniff. “It is a family-only affair, but you count in that. I can show you my library.”

Fairuza had spoken of her library many times. In truth, Chad had always wanted to see it, though he’d never said as much.

“T-Thank you,” Chad said, careful to keep his smile small, because big displays of affection seemed to make the young princess uncomfortable. “I greatly appreciate it, Fairuza. All of it.”

“As you should,” the princess said with a nod, and then she was accompanying him out of the library before they had to part ways to go to their respective schools – Fairuza aiming for Auradon Junior Prep while Chad made a beeline for the dining hall, feeling like he actually had somewhat of an appetite that day.

_Wow_ , he’d been invited to a birthday party _and_ Fairuza considered him her friend. Granted, Chad had always hoped, but-

But now he knew, and that was a comfort.

-:-:-:-:-:-

“Okay,” Ben said, seeming to burst with excitement when the limo dropped them off in a familiar set of woods. “Are you guys ready? I hope you’re ready, this is going to be _great_.”

Evie laughed at the prince’s enthusiasm, so Chad felt comfortable joining in, because Ben really could be a bit goofy. But like, in the best way.

“Yes, Ben,” Evie hummed, squeezing Chad’s fingers for no reason other than she _could_. “We’re ready.”

Just like every other time she had done this, Chad felt his heart beat a little faster because he felt the brush of her engagement ring against his palm – the metal a pale gold that seemed to weave like vines, studded with rubies and sapphires. Chad had designed the ring himself and begged Jane to make it for him, which turned out to be entirely unnecessary because she had already been onboard the moment she had witnessed the Duke give his permission to Evie for the marriage contract. She even recruited the help of Doug (Chad was pretty sure they were dating, or almost-dating, and it was really cute) to get _real_ metals and gems from Hanover, which Chad had paid him double for, refusing to accept anything less, even if Doug’s uncles considered it an honor to make anything for the crown princess.

Presenting Evie with the ring had been an overwhelming but liberating day in itself, but then _she_ had given him a ring of his own – one that Mal and Jay had made themselves. The band seemed to be platinum, and the swirling tendrils seemed to echo the designs that had been on his mother’s carriage when she had gone to his father’s ball all those years ago. It was studded with aquamarines, and Chad _loved it_. Loved it so much that he couldn’t stop crying, and then _Evie_ started crying, and then they just sort of held onto each other while Mal and Jay and Carlos wrapped themselves around the two of them and let them sob it out. It was very therapeutic. 

Chad had been worried about Ben’s response to their engagement, but the prince had taken one look at their rings and started cooing, gushing about how _wonderful_ they were, periodically taking their hands so he could kiss their knuckles and admire the jewelry and tell them they were _perfect for each other_ and it was so very supportive and loving that it almost made Chad cry all over again. 

“You say that,” Ben teased, bringing Chad back to the present. “But no one’s _really_ prepared for the ultimate date in the Enchanted Woods.”

Evie perked up. “These woods are enchanted?”

Ben laughed, taking her hand, then reaching out so he could snag one of Chad’s so that he was safely between the engaged couple. “I thought you would like that,” he said, and then proceeded to give a brief history of the woods while he guided them through the lovely scenery. “You’re pretty wonderful people,” Ben said casually. “So I was trying to think of a place that was both as pretty and wonderful as you are, and while I couldn’t really come close, I thought this would at least make you happy.”

“ _Ben_ ,” Chad groaned for like, the twelfth time. He had been so sure that he was an afterthought for the other prince, but Ben was so _attentive_ , to the point that Chad was beginning to think the other prince actually liked him.

“It’s true!” Ben insisted, nuzzling Chad’s shoulder before turning and repeating the process on Evie. “I am such a lucky guy – I should have broken up with Audrey weeks ago.”

At that, Chad felt himself lose some of the levity he had gained before, his smile feeling a little tight.

He knew he shouldn’t ask, but Chad- he worried just about always, and Ben _seemed_ fine, but-

“Ben?” Chad spoke up quietly, though he may as well have shouted for how effectively he had gained the other prince’s attention. “Did… Audrey didn’t ever- she didn’t hurt you when you were dating, did she?”

Ben paused his walk, giving Chad a pained look that Evie echoed from his other side. “No, Chad, she didn’t hurt me.”

“Oh, good.” Chad felt his shoulders relax, like he could breathe again. “That’s good. I mean, obviously you wouldn’t need it, I just- I wanted to ask to- I guess it wasn’t any of my business-”

“Hey.” Ben squeezed his fingers, cutting Chad’s rambling off at the pass. “You asked because you were concerned. I appreciate that, Chad.”

“…oh.” Chad felt himself blush. “Thanks, Ben.”

It was hard to describe the look the other teen gave him, but Chad imagined it was a whole lot like the looks Chad tended to give Evie. “I’m the one who’s thankful, Chad.”

“Sweet boys,” Evie murmured, graciously pulling the focus from Chad, and Ben beamed, striding boldly forward until he brought them to their destination – the Enchanted Lake.

“I love this place,” Ben said as he began stripping out of his clothes. “It’s like our own little corner of paradise. You can feel the latent magic humming in the air.”

“You’re right.” Evie grinned, tilting her head back to absorb the sunlight. “It’s quite wonderful, Ben.”

“So?” Ben said, wagging his brows. “Do you guys want to go for a swim?”

“Evie’s not big on swimming,” Chad said so she wouldn’t have to, though the princess did look quite smart in her navy sundress and coordinating sunhat. She was so pretty. “So she’s gonna take pictures while _we_ swim.”

“For the others,” Evie assured them. “And to commemorate our first date.”

“Smart thinking, as always,” Ben murmured, reaching forward to kiss Evie’s knuckles, and then he repeated the process on Chad.

“I know,” Evie laughed in the wake of Chad’s overwhelmed flush. “He’s quite charming. But…” She reached forward to squeeze his hand. “You deserve that.”

“So do you,” Chad said earnestly, earning a brilliant smile that boosted his confidence into stripping down into his plain blue swim trunks.

Ben’s had tiny crowns all over them, they were super cool.

“Mal’s going to get a kick out of _those_ ,” Evie tittered, grinning when Ben obliged with some model poses before he dragged Chad into frame with him, the other prince wrapping himself around Chad’s back so he could grin brightly over his shoulder.

“You just want an excuse to feel up Chad,” Evie tutted in mock disapproval.

“I admit nothing,” Ben teased, and then he was dragging Chad towards the edge of the lake, guiding the blond prince up onto a large boulder so they could jump inside. “Why ease ourselves in?” Ben had said at Chad’s questioning look. “May as well take the plunge, right?”

“If you say so,” Chad said, and then he wasn’t given much chance to really think about it because Ben was bodily tackling him into the water.

It was cold. _Cold_. But also sort of refreshing, and Chad held onto _that_ when his head breached the surface of the water like a sputtering cat. He immediately looked around for Ben, who didn’t immediately resurface. Which- it was probably fine, Ben wouldn’t have taken him swimming if he couldn’t actually _swim_ , Ben wouldn’t-

The other prince broke the surface of the water a few seconds later, and Chad felt a giant surge of relief.

“ _Ben_ ,” he said, paddling forward. “Don’t do that. I was afraid you’d gotten hurt.”

“You… were?” Ben blinked at him with an open sort of confusion, his demeanor seeming to dim ever so slightly. Not in like, a negative way, just by a matter of intensity. He still seemed happy; he was just less _extra_ about it.

“Maybe Evie should check you over,” Chad said, tugging Ben carefully towards the stone dais. “We can’t have you get hurt because of a _date_ , that would be awful.”

“You um… really care about my wellbeing,” Ben noted, swimming dutifully behind him.

Chad tried not to send him a wounded look, he really did, but he probably failed. “Of course I do. You’re Ben. You’re… I mean, even if you um- weren’t dating us, I’d still worry, because you’re so nice and great and… stuff.”

“And stuff?” Ben echoed, but it seemed to be tease. “…I’d care if you were hurt too, Chad.”

“I know.” Chad flushed. “You uh… already told me. I mean, you showed it when-” He cut himself off with a sigh. “Sorry. I’m terrible at this.”

“I don’t know,” Ben hummed as their feet finally hit the pebbled bottom of the lake. “I think you’re doing pretty great.”

Chad’s blush darkened. “You’re just um- saying that.”

“No, Chad,” Ben squeezed his hand, pulling Chad to a stop. The water was at their waists now, and Ben tugged Chad to face him, until they were standing half-naked in a very enchanting lake. “I’m not. You’re doing great because you _are_ great, and I’m… I’m glad we got this opportunity to be out here, together. I’m glad I got this opportunity to know you.”

“ _Ben_ ,” Chad whined, trying to look anywhere but the other prince, which was why he missed the hands cradling his jaw until Ben was closing in, slotting his lips against Chad’s like it was natural.

Oh. Oh, _wow_. Chad and Evie had talked about Ben getting um- intimate with them, talked about what they were comfortable with and how it might happen, but Chad hadn’t been expecting _this_. If anything, Chad had expected Ben to kiss Evie, not Chad.

But here they were in the middle of the lake, Ben’s kisses going from soft and gentle to progressively deeper, almost claiming like Mal’s tended to be, leaving Chad breathless.

“Ben,” Chad groaned as the other teen’s hands roamed his body, tracing the muscles of Chad’s back and caressing his side and teasing against the base of his spine, as though he might drift lower. “ _Ben_.”

“Sorry,” the other teen said, pulling away with a smile. “Guess I got carried away.”

“It’s… I mean, that was perfectly- I liked that,” Chad said lamely, feeling himself flush. “But um… maybe you should kiss Evie now.”

“I’d probably get her wet,” Ben said and- oh, right. _Obviously_. “But we should make our way back to her.”

“…okay,” Chad whispered, and they did that, waving in Evie’s direction when they drew closer.

The princess smiled at them as they climbed up onto the dais. “Enjoying a taste, Ben?”

There was a beat, and then Ben offered her a roguish smile. “ _Always_.”

Evie hummed. “Then perhaps you can help me with one of my favorite activities.”

“Oh?” Ben said as he and Chad settled down on the beach towels they had spread out earlier. “And that that would be?” 

“Pampering Chad,” Evie said, carding her fingers through Chad’s soaked curls.

“ _Evie_ ,” Chad tried not to whine, shifting uneasily on his towel when he became aware of how little he had on. “You don’t have to-”

“No,” Ben said, leaning forward to caress Chad’s stomach. “I think she’s on to something.”

“Lay back,” Evie said before Chad could try to argue and, well-

He always did try to make Evie happy. And this sort of made him happy as well, even if he thought he didn’t deserve it. 

“Like this,” Evie said, putting one of the extra rolled up towels underneath his head. 

“Now what?” Ben asked, the two of them staring down at Chad with fond consideration.

“You keep kissing him,” Evie said quietly. “You seemed to enjoy that. I’ll play with his nipples.”

“ _Evie_ ,” Chad whined, shifting with something he hoped passed as unease that was really excitement.

A blush spilled across the bridge of Ben’s nose. “Oh, could I um- help with that too?”

“By all means,” Evie said, and then they descended upon Chad.

Kissing Ben was different than kissing Jay or Carlos – he was his own unique experience, but mostly he was gentle, so very careful to make sure Chad was comfortable as he teased and pinched at Chad’s nipples, until the blond was gasping in his hold. 

“How far do you want to go, Ben?” Evie asked when she started marking up the curve of Chad’s neck, Ben following her lead and biting at Chad’s pectorals.

“Um…” Ben hummed. “I um- just want to focus on Chad, right now.”

“That’s good,” Evie said, taking the other prince’s hand and sliding it down Chad’s stomach, easing it _under_ the waistband of his swimsuit. “Because that’s what we’re going to do.”

“ _Evie_ ,” Chad moaned when he felt Ben’s long fingers curl _around_ him, even though he hadn’t done anything useful. “Evie, Ben- _guys-_ ”

“That’s good,” Evie said, approving. “Keep doing that.”

And for some reason, Ben _did_ , until Chad was a hopeless, moaning mess. 

“Was that good, sweetheart?” Evie asked later when Chad was coming down from his high, Ben carefully working him through the aftershocks until he had nothing left to give. 

“ _Ngh_ \- yes, Evie,” Chad gasped. “It was um… very good.”

“You were very pretty,” Ben said, looking strangely bashful as he eased his hand out of Chad’s swimsuit and carefully started to _lick it_ clean. “ _Are_ , very pretty. Thank you, Chad, for letting us do that.”

“Such a gentleman,” Evie cooed.

Ben gave her a careful smile. “I… I do what I can.”

“T-Thanks, Ben,” Chad whispered, and whatever weird spell that had been cast over them seemed to be broken, because they took turns kissing Chad again after that, until he was bashful and close to incoherence. 

“This was a good date, Ben,” Evie declared later, running her hand through Chad’s drying curls.

“It’s not over yet, Evie,” Ben said, and then he offered her a careful kiss as well – just _enough_ to be what she wanted, nothing more, nothing less.

Ben really _was_ perfect.

And now he was dating Chad and Evie, so-

That was something.

-:-:-:-:-:-

“How did it go?” Mal asked once Ben had politely walked them back to Evie’s dorm room, Jay and Carlos cuddled together on the couch, doing their very best to pretend they weren’t eavesdropping even though they totally were.

“Ben made out with Chad in the lake,” Evie chirped over Chad’s groan of embarrassment. “And then he helped me pamper him.”

Mal seemed pleased by this information, almost preening with pride when she caressed the side of Chad’s face. “Did he touch you?” she pressed, aiming the question at Evie.

“A few kisses,” Evie said. “Some hand holding.”

“He wrapped an arm around her waist,” Chad added, trying to be helpful. “I got a picture.”

“Great.” Mal grinned. “I’d like to see it.”

“He didn’t try for more?” Jay asked, trying to seem casual and disinterested and failing horribly.

“No.” Evie shook her head. “He was a perfect gentleman.”

“That ‘perfect gentleman’ stuck a hand down Chad’s pants,” Jay grumbled, getting up from the couch with a casual stretch. “You interested in a different kind of ride, your highness?”

Evie made a show of considering her options, even though Chad was pretty sure she was going to give in because she couldn’t deprive Jay of anything, not that Chad really blamed her. “I suppose I could be persuaded.”

“Just get on the bed, you two,” Mal said with a roll of her eyes. “You’re with me, blondie,” she continued, tugging Chad by the waist of his shorts to the other bed. “Up for another round? Carlos has a surprise for you.”

Chad felt his cheeks flush a brilliant shade of red. “What um- kind of surprise?”

Mal’s grin was distinctly predatory. “The kind that involves butt plugs.”

“Oh. Um.” Chad did not feel capable of coherency. “ _Oh_.”

“Yeah,” Mal laughed. “Thought you’d like that.”

-:-:-:-:-:-

For the record, _Carlos_ had been wearing the plug in preparation for Chad, and Mal spent the afternoon coaching the young De Ville through riding the blond prince, who did his best to hold on in the wake of Carlos’ very tight and warm heat. 

It was a lot. Unquestionably a lot, and it was made both worse and better by Evie nestled in Jay’s lap across the room, her panties abandoned while she rode the Agraben teen, her head thrown back and mouth open, letting out pointed gasps as he did _something_ right.

It must say something about Chad that he wasn’t even slightly envious or jealous of these things anymore. If anything, he liked seeing Evie in her brightest moments, liked being able to help Carlos and be coached by Mal and know when it was all over that they’d all still like him.

He wondered briefly how Ben would feel about this, but figured they weren’t really dating yet, just going on dates. And besides, even though Chad didn’t know what was going on, Evie did, and she wouldn’t lead them astray. Thus making all of this fine. 

It was a very exhausting afternoon. 

But it was also, without question, a good one.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Ben continued to take them on regular dates after that. His urgency seemed to die down, so he was less love-crazed and more like his normal-Ben self, kind and generous and thoughtful, and so very good looking it made Chad shiver sometimes. It was sort of better, in Chad’s opinion, or at the very least, more believable, and watching Ben walk arm-in-arm with Evie was slowly becoming one of Chad’s new favorite things, because they looked so sophisticated and regal and _fond_ that Chad wanted capture the image in his memory forever. They’d already inspired a new line of formalwear, Evie’s blues mixed with the green that matched Ben’s eyes and Mal had caught Chad’s hasty sketches and made suggestions rather than making fun of him, so Chad guessed it was okay. 

Sometimes Ben took them to dinner, then through a quiet stroll around the park. Other times he would take them to the ballet, to museums, to the arcade. On one very notable occasion, he had gotten tickets to a very exclusive fashion show in Maldonia and had taken them on a whirlwind trip for the weekend, letting them stay in a private, fancy hotel between shows and somehow managing to snag a private session with Eudora _herself_ , the mother of Queen Tiana and one of the hottest designers for royalty in all of Auradon. 

Chad and Evie had spent that entire night designing line after line of clothing, all while Ben fondly looked on, Skyping with Mal and the others and informing them of Chad and Evie’s progress. 

Things had gotten a little… _heated_ that night, but that time it had been Evie and Chad working together to dote on Ben, though they were sure to have a clear line of communication to see what Ben’s limits were, what he was comfortable with and what he wanted from them, and Ben seemed so very startled by the consideration before he gave them a brilliant smile. 

They didn’t really remove their clothes that night, but Evie gave Ben a handjob while Chad got to make out with the future king and it was all very intense and _lovely_.

Things seemed to be going well, and with coronation drawing ever closer, Chad wondered if the other shoe was going to drop. He wasn’t used to having this many nice things, but he did. He had friends and a fiancé and Ben, he had the Tourney team and Ruby and Jane and Doug and Aziz and Fairuza and Lonnie. 

He had so much, he wasn’t sure how he could possibly get more.

And then Chad and Evie received an invitation for dinner at Auradon Castle with Ben’s parents. Queen Snow and Chad’s grandfather had also been invited.

So.

That was ominous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, thank you guys so much for all your enthusiastic and wonderfully supportive feedback!!! Sorry to those who I haven’t gotten back to yet – I got busy planning for two different baby showers (quilts don’t make themselves, you know :D) so things got a bit hectic over here. I do intend to get back to everyone, and for the record, I’m very grateful for your support, now and always!! 
> 
> Okay, so on Sunday the final chapter will be posted along with chapter 10, the deleted scenes, and the first chapter of my next Chad-centric fic, ‘Sunlight Through the Trees in Summer’. It’s one of my longer ones and… man, do I not know how to describe it, but there will be pirates again! And some more sad Chad, because sometimes we must hurt the characters we love ;)
> 
> Story notes:
> 
> Eudora and Maldonia are from the Princess and the Frog.
> 
> Until next time ^_^


	9. Breaking Free

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING – Traumatic flashback. There is a point in the first scene were Chad briefly experiences a traumatic flashback while the conversation is going on. See endnotes for more details.

“Don’t be nervous,” Chad whispered as their car pulled up to Auradon Castle – Ben’s home and the epicenter of the Enchantress’ curse so many years ago. “They’re going to love you. You are very loveable.”

Evie squeezed his hand, relief easing into her features, even if she still seemed to be stuck in the firm clutches of anxiety. “Thanks, Chad. They’ll love you too.”

Chad tried not to lie to Evie, so he chose not to reply, knowing in this instance that the truth wouldn’t make her feel any better. It was unlikely that Ben’s parents had any kind of positive feelings towards Chad, because he was the third wheel. Granted, he’d been dating Evie first (and now he was engaged to her, _wow_ ), but if he was a true gentleman he would have backed out for Ben’s sake the moment the prince of Auradon had made his interest known, but he didn’t, so now he was just the extra political baggage they had to deal with. 

When the chauffeur opened the door, Chad climbed out first, offering Evie his hand and then his arm when she followed after him. She looked positively radiant wearing the gown Chad had designed just for her, even though all of her accessories were Evie-originals. This affair was sort of last minute, so she didn’t have time to create her own dress, and while that had filled her with panic, Chad had been happy to help, pulling out the gown he had designed for her so many weeks ago, created on a whim with the hopes that he might someday give it to her.

Cogsworth showed them into a private sitting room, where two familiar people were waiting.

“Evie!” Queen Snow cheered, crossing the room in delicate strides that almost made her seem like she was floating, the queen pulling Evie into a tight hug before kissing both her cheeks. “You look positively radiant, my dear.”

It wasn’t the first time the two had met. _That_ particular afternoon had been filled with tears and hugs, Evie almost hysterical in her effort to express an apology for the actions her mother had taken against Queen Snow. 

As Chad predicted, the queen would hear none of it, because Grimhilde’s crimes were not Evie’s to apologize for. Queen Snow had wrapped herself aground her younger sister and held her tight, whispering how proud she was of Evie, how lovely and brave and strong she was, and that she was glad they finally got to meet.

It had taken a long time for Evie to calm down, but Chad and Queen Snow had been with her through all of it, letting her know her tears were valid, that it was okay for her to be overwhelmed or sad.

As Chad had _also_ predicted, Queen Snow had immediately fallen in love with Evie, and listened attentively to Evie’s stories about Mal and Jay and Carlos, about _Chad_ and her schoolwork and the things she wanted to see in Hanover, all while frequently assuring that she wasn’t a _witch_ , or if she was a witch, she wanted to be a good one. 

“The magic ban may technically be in effect for the entirety of Auradon,” Queen Snow had hummed. “But Hanover has always been a little too mystical to submit to that ruling.” She hugged Evie close, stroking a hand through her hair. “I may have dabbled in the magic arts myself, and I’d be happy to show you what I know to keep our culture alive.”

“ _Please_ ,” Evie had said, looking up at her sister like she’d just offered the sun and the moon and the stars.

It had been a good day, and it had led to many phone conversations and skyped calls between the two of them, Evie wanting updates of Queen Snow’s actions as a mediator between the kingdoms, and Queen Snow wanting to hear about Evie’s test scores, her new design ideas, her _dates_. 

Queen Snow had been mildly reluctant to agree to Evie and Chad’s marriage contract, which had been disheartening (if something Chad had distantly expected) until she explained the reason why. She wanted to make sure Evie wasn’t committing to the first positive relationship she’d ever had. She wanted to make sure Evie was comfortable, that Chad was treating her right. She wanted to make sure they were _ready_ , and had both of them sit with a counselor to ensure that they were sufficiently prepared to make this kind of commitment. 

As it was, she’d negotiated a sort of grace period of at least four years to allow them time to get through Auradon Prep, though she encouraged both of them to go to college too and get married sometime after that.

Evie had mostly been in awe at the prospect of _college_ , though she assured Chad that they would _definitely_ be getting married, and later, she gave him a taste of what their ‘wedding night’ would be like, the other three watching before helping them with clean up, Jay running a bath while Carlos and Mal took their time washing and caressing their bodies. 

It had been, frankly, _amazing_ , and Chad wondered how he could ever come to have something as wonderful as that.

“Thank you.” Evie grinned, a bit of tension easing from her shoulders as she drew Chad’s focus back to the present. “It’s Chad’s doing.”

“Only partially,” Chad assured, offering Queen Snow a polite bow. “The rest was entirely Evie.” He straightened when the dignified figure of his grandfather approached, hands tucked behind his back in a proper picture of decorum. “Evie,” he began, deciding that proper introductions needed to be made. “-this is my grandfather, Duke Francis of Sardinia.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Evie said, following Chad’s lead as she dipped into a courtesy so graceful one would hardly know that she had spent the previous day panicking about it. 

While the two had briefly met in passing during Chad’s stint in the infirmary, this was their first formal meeting, and thankfully the animosity Mal carried for Chad’s grandfather hadn’t transferred to Evie. Or if it did, she was better at hiding it. 

“A sentiment I gladly share, my dear,” the Duke said, dipping his head ever so slightly. “Thank you for taking such good care of my grandson.”

“We take care of each other,” Evie said, neatly sliding her fingers through Chad’s with a gentle smile, before she realized the potential faux pas. “I mean, you’re welcome. Sorry-”

“No need to apologize.” The Duke was even grinning. Just barely, but it was _there_ , and Evie had done that. “I can think of no greater gift for someone you love than an equal partnership.”

“Well said,” Queen Snow declared with a gentle smile. “I’m quite grateful for you too, Chad. I’ve heard you’ve done a marvelous job helping the transfer students settle in.”

“It was a group effort,” Chad assured. “But I tried to help where I could.”

“Kind of you,” the Duke said, that faint smile still tugging at his lips. Approval, maybe. 

Further conversation was cut off by the arrival of Ben and his parents, all decked in their royal finery.

“Hello, everyone,” Ben greeted with a formal bow, smile lingering on Chad and Evie. “We’re grateful that you were all able to accept such a last-minute invitation.”

The last part he seemed to aim at his parents, though Ben’s expression never drifted from that of a cheerful host.

Chad’s grandfather cleared his throat, dipping his head in greeting. “The honor is ours, your highness.”

The rest of them moved to copy him, Chad giving his own bow while Evie curtseyed (still perfect) and Queen Snow politely inclined her head.

Ben crossed to Evie’s other side, aiming a bright smile at her. “Evie, these are my parents, King Adam and Queen Belle. Mom, dad-” He turned to the others. “These are my dates to coronation – Princess Evelyn of Hanover and Prince Chadwick of Sardinia.”

Chad had already met Ben’s parents, but it was polite of him to include Chad nonetheless, make this affair seem more intentional rather than the thrown together impulse that it must be.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you both,” the king said, Queen Belle echoing the sentiment neatly from beside him. “We’re just waiting on a few more guests before dinner can begin.”

From the corner of his eye, Chad saw Ben’s eyebrows pinch together, saw his grandfather and Queen Snow tense ever so slightly. “Were we expecting anyone else?”

“Just some family friends,” King Adam assured him, though the mystery was quickly resolved when the doors to the sitting room reopened and Cogsworth announced the arrival of Audrey and her parents.

Chad’s grandfather tensed. “Is there a particular reason why you invited the princess who assaulted my grandson to this dinner?”

“We cannot hold onto past slights, Duke Francis,” King Adam said, and across the room, King Phillip seemed to shift protectively in front of Audrey. “That affair was a misunderstanding-”

“I must agree with Duke Francis on this one, Adam,” Queen Snow interrupted, something she never did. She was never anything less than polite. “And that _‘misunderstanding’_ had three witnesses.”

“Come on,” King Phillip began, the corners of his lips tugging low in a frown. “Your grandson allowed that to happen. He was goading her.”

Queen Snow raised one unimpressed brow at him. “Blaming the victim now, are we Phillip?”

“Don’t put words in my mouth,” the king snapped. “You know as well as I do-”

“ _Enough_ ,” King Adam interrupted with a growl that seemed to echo through the room, reminding all them what he had been, once upon a time. “We are not here to discuss past squabbles, we are here to discuss coronation, and have a delightful dinner as well.”

“Of course,” King Phillip said, voice tight and expression shut off, though luckily everyone seemed in agreement to drop the issue for now. 

Still, Chad stuck close to Evie, because seeing Audrey after all this time was still kind of hard, especially when she seemed so determined to glare him into submission when he had only ever tried to give her everything she wanted.

That was all that was said on the subject until they were led into a private dining hall reserved for visiting royal families. Chad didn’t miss that three extra places had been set in anticipation for Audrey and her family, meaning they had been likely invited the same time Chad and Evie had been. There were even dainty nameplates signifying where everyone should sit. King Adam was, of course, at the head of the table, with Queen Belle on his right, followed by Ben and Audrey, and then Queen Aurora and King Phillip at the other end of the table. To King Adam’s left was Chad’s grandfather, and then Chad himself, Evie, and Queen Snow. 

It was not lost on anyone that Ben had been carefully separated from Chad and Evie, or that Chad’s grandfather – the longest reigning monarch in the room – had been snubbed from sitting at the other end of the table. Both were passive aggressive swipes that could be innocently played off as mindless slipups, which was what they probably _were_. Chad was just overthinking this, set off by his own nerves and Evie’s mild restlessness. This was not what he’d promised her. They were just supposed to be having a private meal.

“Evelyn, dear, it’s such a pleasure to finally meet you.” Queen Aurora was genuine in a way few were, the words tinged with a legitimate excitement that sometimes made Chad wonder how Audrey was her daughter. “Is that one of Chad’s designs?”

“It is.” Evie grinned, her grip gradually easing on Chad’s hand.

“Lovely work, Chad,” Queen Aurora said, aiming a fond smile at the prince. “I remember when you used to design dresses for Audrey – they were always so exquisitely made.”

“Thank you, your majesty,” Chad replied, conscious of Evie’s questioning look. “I always strive to do my best.”

“Just like you always strive to _get_ the best, don’t you?” Audrey mused, voice pouring out like sickly honey, though her gaze was sharp enough to wound.

Queen Aurora gave her a reproachful look. “ _Audrey._ ”

“No,” Chad’s grandfather cut in. “That is why you invited us all here, isn’t it?” He aimed this at King Adam. “To settle any lingering confusion?”

“There _is_ no confusion,” Ben pressed. “I’m taking Chad and Evie to coronation. That’s it.” 

Whatever restraint Audrey had melted into an expression of open frustration, aimed at the individual that had until recently been her boyfriend.

King Adam didn’t seem much better. “Benjamin, you have to be reasonable. I think all of us here can admit that this… _choice_ was quite sudden. Declaring your love for someone else while you were in a committed relationship goes entirely against your character. Some find it suspect.”

“It wasn’t suspect,” Ben sighed. “I got caught up in the heat of the moment. _That’s_ on me.” He turned to face Audrey head on. “Audrey, I’m sorry I didn’t formally break up with you before I asked Evie and Chad to coronation. That was wrong of me.”

“It damn well was,” King Phillip cut in, ignoring his wife’s muttered reprimand for using such language. “You humiliated our daughter in front of the entirety of Auradon.”

“That’s not fair.” Ben’s expression didn’t waver, looked just as nobly steadfast as before. “We had already broken up in private-”

“We hit a rough spot,” Audrey interrupted. “That doesn’t mean we had to _break up_. You shouldn’t believe everything Chad says-”

“That wasn’t why I broke up with you Audrey, and you know it,” Ben was patient when he explained it, but Chad was still sort of reeling because he hadn’t even known Ben had _ended_ things with Audrey. 

And what was worse, Audrey hadn’t told Chad and he was supposed to be her backup, though now he was kind of glad for that because he got to marry Evie and date Ben, but shouldn’t he feel bad? He was supposed to _love_ Audrey. Was he broken?

Ben turned his attention to King Phillip. “I should have made a formal announcement first, you’re right about that, but Audrey added to the problem by refusing to acknowledge the fact that we had broken up.”

“Because we _hadn’t_ ,” Audrey hissed. “We just need to talk things out.”

“There’s nothing to talk about, Audrey,” Ben sighed. “We’re different people with different needs. In the long run, we’d be terrible together. That’s why I broke up with you.”

“And what? Evie and Chad would be so much better?!” Audrey pressed, her expression furious.

“It is sort of preposterous, Adam,” King Phillip spoke up. “Three royals engaged in a polygamous relationship? With two of them already _betrothed_? There’s no precedent for it.”

“You’ll find that I entirely agree with you there, Phillip,” King Adam sighed. “I am not opposed to Princess Evie-”

“But my grandson’s inclusion is entirely unwelcome?” the Duke prompted, his hands twisting into tight fists against his lap. “This was something your son brought entirely upon himself – asking Princess Evelyn, who was already spoken for, in front of the entirety of their school while my grandson was standing right next to her. What was she supposed to do? She couldn’t very well say _no_ , so instead she included the one she was already devoted to.” The Duke turned an approving look towards Evie. “Which was a commendable move, my dear, and likely the only way to exit that situation with any amount of grace.”

“Oh, save it, Duke Francis,” King Phillip huffed. “We all know you’re twisting this so Chad has another shot at the United Auradon Crown despite having already been passed over for it once. What was the reason again? _‘Stagnated social development’_ – or something like that?”

“Curious that his development was _stagnated_ when it was _your daughter_ who befriended him all through childhood,” the Duke growled back, like none of this was surprise. As though he’d- he’d _known_ the reason why Chad had been dismissed by the selection committee.

“Don’t try to pin that on us,” King Phillip snapped. “When the weakness of Sardinian kings is more than apparent to anyone in this room. Your son isn’t even here for this, and why? Too occupied with drowning his miseries in alcohol?”

“ _Phillip_ ,” Queen Belle interrupted, tone sharp, but the king ignored her completely, his focus on Chad’s grandfather.

“No.” King Phillip shook off the arm Queen Aurora pressed to his shoulder. “Your grandson wasn’t selected because we’ve all seen what happens to Sardinian kings who lose their queens. Without a partner Chad – much like your son – would crumble, and how would it look for the entirety of Auradon to have their king try and _kill himself_?” 

Blood, blood, blood – sticky blood and so much of it. Chad just wanted- he had a nightmare and he knew he wasn’t supposed to see his father but he wanted his dad to be like one of the ones from the story books and then all he’d seen was _blood_.

“You are out of line,” Queen Snow snapped, rising to her feet in a furious movement. “And it’s slanderous talk like that which poisons the well of Auradon.”

“Slanderous or true?” King Phillip countered, shifting to his feet. “It was a kindness to allow Audrey anywhere _near_ your grandson-”

“Stop this,” Queen Aurora ordered, placing a firm hand on King Phillip’s shoulder and refusing to allow it to be shaken off. “We are _leaving_ ,” she declared, grabbing Audrey’s shoulder and pulling her to her feet. The Queen turned her attention towards Ben’s parents, giving the slightest of curtseys. “I am so sorry, your majesties. Your Grace. I have no words to excuse such terrible behavior, but please accept my deepest condolences.”

“Of course, Aurora,” Queen Belle said lightly, and the blonde queen took that as her cue to leave, firmly guiding King Phillip and Audrey from the dining room through the doors Cogsworth had hastily thrown open.

Chad felt like he couldn’t breathe but he knew he had to keep doing it, even though his throat tightened up with tears he had to swallow because big boys weren’t supposed to cry and they weren’t supposed to want their mothers all the time and good _kings_ had to be brave and strong, and if he was a good king maybe he’d be wanted.

Evie’s hand was firm against his, and Chad tried to hold onto that, even though it seemed so very hard.

Ben stared after them as though lost in a fog. “I- I don’t understand. What was he talking about?”

Chad’s grandfather let out a weary sigh. “It is a private matter, Benjamin. One we shall not discuss.”

“I’m so sorry, Duke Francis,” Queen Belle soothed. “It was never our intention to bring up your son’s health. We only wished to clear the air. There was a lot of confusion, but I… I can see now it is likely for the best to have Ben stay away from Audrey.”

“I…” Ben stared between the door and Chad, a terrible frown marring his lips. “Chad. Did Audrey… did she ever say stuff like that to you?”

“S-Stuff like what?” Chad asked, his voice a low rasp despite his best efforts, because even now he couldn’t help but come up short.

“About your dad?” Evie whispered, squeezing his fingers. “That stuff King Phillip said, did she ever say anything to you like that?”

Chad honestly didn’t understand the question. “Sure,” he said, shrugging his shoulders helplessly. “All the time. That’s how I knew I was… you know.”

“No, sweetheart,” she said quietly, dropping a pet name at a formal dinner because Chad was being a _baby_. “I don’t know. Tell me, please.”

“I…” Evie deserved to know, Chad just wished he didn’t have to spell it out in front of the King and Queen of Auradon, who just sort of watched with an unbearable tension. “That’s how I knew I was… broken.” There were gasps, and Chad hated it, that they could somehow be surprised by this. “But I… I didn’t _feel_ broken, but I- I must have been, since no one else would-” Chad broke off with a shudder, helpless tears beginning to fall down his face. 

Back then, Chad didn’t have anyone else to talk to aside from his nannies and his tutors who were all very nice to him but all studiously avoided the subject of his father. 

He’d always assumed it was because what Audrey had said was true.

“That _vile_ creature,” the Duke snarled, showing a level of frustration Chad hadn’t seen from him since Chad had shown up at his bedroom door covered in his father’s blood.

“Duke Francis-” Queen Snow tried to console.

“No.” Chad’s grandfather shook his head. “I allowed that _poisonous_ girl to push Chad around for _eight years_. Well, no more.” He turned to face Chad head on, laying a hand on his shoulder. “Forget everything that girl has ever told you, Chad. Every order, every teaching – _anything_. Outside a professional regard, you will not speak to her again.”

Chad fully expected to be devastated by this news and yet for some reason he felt… relieved? He was- he was _relieved_ , because he didn’t- he didn’t _want_ to go back to Audrey, who pulled on his hair and scratched his arms and slapped him sometimes. He didn’t want to go back to being belittled and criticized and made to do things he didn’t want to do. He liked being with Evie and Mal and the others, he liked being with Ben and he was almost sure he would prefer being alone over being with Audrey, even if that meant he was unloved.

Tears continued to spill down his cheeks in a distinctly un-regal fashion, but Chad couldn’t help it. “P-Promise?”

The hand on his shoulder squeezed him tight. “Yes Chad, I promise.”

Chad was forced to shove a hand against his mouth to stifle the following sob, and Evie was wrapped around his shoulders in an instant, murmuring small words of comfort into his ears as he tried to ground himself. He didn’t have to talk to Audrey anymore. He didn’t have to follow her rules or make her happy and a few months ago Chad wouldn’t have thought that was even possible, but now he just- he wanted it more than anything else. He wanted friends and quiet cuddles and a fiancé who thought he was nice and sweet and searched for him when he was hiding away. 

“I’m gonna take them to my room.” Ben’s voice was closer than it’d been before, on their side of the table, closing in on Chad and Evie’s position. “You guys can discuss the details if you want, but I’m going to take both of them to coronation, and I’m _going_ to keep dating them for as long as they’ll have me.”

“Ben.” Evie’s voice was so quiet, tight with the sound of tears. “You don’t have to do that, Ben. You could say that I enchanted you-”

“You didn’t,” Ben pressed, his arms firm around both of them. “Or if you did, it was with your kindness.”

At this, Evie let out a wet gasp, curling into the hold of their arms until they were all desperately clutching at each other as though they were the only things keeping each other from falling apart.

“Come on,” Ben whispered, backing away long enough to hand each of them a handkerchief. He took both of their hands, tugging them away from the dining room while their collective families watched.

Chad paused just as they reached the door, managing enough composure to turn back towards his grandfather, who watched the three of them with weary eyes. “Thank you,” he murmured, needing the Duke to understand his gratitude, however little it was worth.

His grandfather gave him a sorry sort of look. “We’re family, Chadwick,” he said quietly. “You don’t have to thank me for doing what’s right.”

“Still,” Chad said. He waited a moment before allowing Ben to tug him onward, feeling too lost and relieved and happy to do anything else.

He was free. They were going to be free. _Together_. 

-:-:-:-:-:-

In light of that, retreating to Ben’s room was icing on the cake. Chad hadn’t visited the space in years – not since _before_ – but it hadn’t changed much. It was clean and orderly, everything left in its proper place, though it still had a distinct feeling of coziness that was likely the handiwork of Mrs. Potts. 

Ben herded them towards the couch, both of them clinging to his steadfast form until he was settled between them. He offered Evie a blanket that she gladly wrapped around her shoulders with a sniff, one hand reached firmly across Ben’s chest to hold onto Chad, who held her right back. _This_ was what he wanted. This. And he was beginning to think he might even deserve it. 

“So,” Ben spoke up when the tears had mostly died down. “That was um… way more intense than I thought it was going to be.” He squeezed them tight, pressing a kiss to both of their foreheads. “I’m sorry, guys. That never should have happened. I thought I’d finally gotten through to them but it just…” He trailed off with a sigh.

“I think it was better this way,” Chad whispered. “Now I don’t have to talk to Audrey anymore, which I thought I would be really sad about but I- I’m relieved. A lot.” He curled closer to the other two, squeezing Evie’s delicate fingers oh-so carefully. “Does that make me a bad person? We dated for eight years. Well- we didn’t date, I guess.”

“No, Chad,” Evie said quietly. “You’re not a bad person for wanting to stay away from someone who doesn’t treat you well. That makes you a survivor.”

“Oh.” Chad hadn’t thought of it like that. “Thanks, Evie.”

She gave him one of those brilliant grins, the one that made him feel warm all the way down to his toes. “You’re welcome, sweetheart.”

“She…” Ben was frowning, seeming lost in thought. “Did she treat you like that for _eight years_?”

“I mean…” Chad shrugged. “I didn’t have any other friends. After my mom died, my security detail increased so I didn’t get to leave Sardinia much, and then after my dad’s accident…” Chad forced himself to shrug again, like that would make it better. “No one wanted their child to hang out with me anyway.”

Except for King Phillip, but Chad was beginning to think he was more of an opportunist than anything else. After all, he’d had Audrey befriend Ben from an early age too. They were both potential candidates for the United Auradon crown. 

“Chad...” Evie’s thumb started rubbing small circles against Chad’s palm. “What King Phillip said about your dad, was that- was that true?”

Chad squeezed his eyes shut, and only opened them again when he felt closer to apathetic. “Yes. My mother’s death really aggravated my father’s depression. When I was eight, he tried to kill himself.” Chad closed his eyes again, as though it would rid him of the terrible memories of blood and terror clinging to his throat. “I was the one who found him.”

He hadn’t understood what had been going on, at the time. He thought his father had been attacked by a terrible beast, or perhaps by a new villain that had escaped the Isle. It wasn’t until later, when his grandfather had stressed that he could never tell another living soul what he’d seen that Chad realized something had gone horribly wrong, even if he’d lacked the context to understand what it was.

“ _Chad_.” Ben sounded so broken over it, burying his lips in Chad’s curls while Evie clung to them tighter. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Chad whispered, even if it felt far from it. “He’s doing better now. Between Captain Anozie and my grandfather and his assistants he’s okay to run the kingdom, though he gets into slumps sometimes.” He let himself nuzzle Ben’s chest, taking comfort in the steady beat of his heart under Chad’s ear. “I haven’t seen him in a while, though. I have a tendency to trigger unhappy thoughts, since I look like my mom.”

“ _Baby_ ,” Evie whispered, pressing kisses against Chad’s knuckles. “You’ve been alone this whole time. I…” Her voice cut off with a quiet sob. “I know what that’s like. I got- I was banished too. For ten years it was just me and my mom in our castle.”

“Evie,” Chad gasped, reaching forward to cup her cheek, wiping tears from pale skin. “I’m so sorry. I’m sorry you got stuck on the Isle. I’m sorry you didn’t get to grow up in your kingdom like you deserved to-”

“I know.” She let out a watery laugh, holding onto Chad’s hand. “I know, Chad. We hadn’t even started dating and I knew that. You were already trying to fix things with Fairuza and Ben.”

“And we will,” Ben promised. “We will fix them. We’ll get all the kids off the Isle and then we’ll work on reforming the prison system _and_ the selection system for future monarchs and- We’re going to do _better_ , okay? The three of us.”

“Ben,” Evie whispered, looking up at the prince in something like anguished wonder. “Ben I- I have to tell you something.”

“I know,” Ben said, and Chad didn’t know what they were talking about but he was still rocked by the surprise that gripped Evie’s body. “The Enchanted Lake washes away all magical effects. I’ve known since our first date.”

Evie started to blink rapidly. “Then… why didn’t you say anything?”

“I don’t understand,” Chad cut in, unable to bear the suspense. “What are you talking about, Ben?”

“The reason why I did the big song and dance number at the Tourney game,” Ben explained. “The reason why I didn’t formally break up with Audrey beforehand – it was because Mal gave me a love potion.”

The words refused to make sense in Chad’s mind, even if objectively speaking, it was the most logical deduction. “But… why?”

“To get me away from Audrey,” Ben explained, squeezing Chad close. “I was beginning to see that things weren’t exactly as they seemed with her, but then after she sent you into hiding for a week and-” Ben paused to clear his throat. “…on our date, you asked if she ever hit me.”

“I mean, I figured she hadn’t,” Chad murmured, ducking his head. “You probably never mess up, so she wouldn’t need to.”

“ _Chad_.” Evie sounded stricken again, her eyes shining with moisture. “She didn’t have a right to hurt you either.”

It was something he’d heard before, that Mal and Jay and Carlos and even Jane and Aziz and Fairuza had taken to repeating, and the more Chad heard it, the easier it was to believe. 

“ _Fuck_ ,” Ben groaned, letting his head fall back against the couch. “I was so lost after I dove into the lake, because I couldn’t figure out why you had done it, but now I know and… I’m glad.” He kissed Chad’s hair again. “And Evie’s right. There’s nothing you could have done that would have warranted her to physically hurt you, Chad. That’s abuse, and it wasn’t your fault. That was Audrey’s.”

“Okay.” Chad was slowly coming around to believe it, or at the very least to trust _them_ , even though he knew it would be a long time before it actually settled. “But um- if… if you wanted to save Ben, why didn’t you tell me about the love potion? If you were interested in him…”

Evie flushed. “That was actually an accident,” she explained. “Ben was supposed to fall in love with _Mal_ , since I had a boyfriend.” She carded a finger through Chad’s hair, making extra sure to scratch his scalp in that gentle way that always made him shiver. “But then it messed up and he fell in love with _me_ so…” She gave them a hopeless smile. “It all worked out, though.”

“Wait,” Ben’s brows furrowed together in thought. “If it was supposed to be Mal does that… do you not like me?”

“ _Ben_.” Evie stretched up so she could cup his cheek, staring him dead in the eyes. “I like you very much. We both do. I just- I already had a great thing, and I didn’t think I could get more so I didn’t strive for it.”

“Besides,” Chad added. “What belongs to Mal belongs to Evie, so you would have been together anyway.”

Ben’s expression shifted from concerned to surprised in such an abrupt turn that it almost made Chad laugh. “ _What_?”

Evie flushed; it was very pretty. “You have to understand, Ben,” she began to explain carefully. “When you have allies on the Isle… they’re your _everything_. You don’t keep private hoards. And that includes people.” She reached a hand down to brush against Chad’s cheek. “So when I started dating Chad, I shared him, because that’s what we do. And when Mal was going to date you… um.” She shrugged. “First we were going to see if it would last, and if it did, _then_ we would explain the sharing to you.”

“Oh.” Chad blinked. He’d messed that up. “Sorry.”

“No, it’s good you brought it up,” Evie assured him. “Ben has a right to know what he’s getting into.”

“Wait, so…” Ben’s cheeks dusted a nice shade of pink. “You and Chad are… you’re also dating Mal and Carlos and Jay?”

“Yes,” Evie said at the same time Chad said, “No.”

They shared a look.

“ _Yes_ ,” Evie repeated. “We’re dating them as well.”

“We are?” Chad frowned. “I mean, I knew you- but have _I_ -?”

“Yes,” Evie pressed. “You have.”

“But-” Chad had to sit up properly, because this warranted full eye contact. “Why didn’t you tell me? I would have been a better boyfriend!”

Evie blinked at him. “Chad, you are already a good boyfriend. Any time you got me presents, you got gifts for them as well, and you took turns bringing them on our dates.”

“Yeah, but- that’s ‘cuz…” Chad trailed off, unsure how to explain. “They were your Audreys. Or- who Audrey had been, for me.”

They were the people that meant more to Evie than anything else in the world. Of _course_ he was nice to them, he understood what treasures they were.

“Oh.” Evie’s face melted into a soft expression of wonder, and it was aimed at _Chad_. “Just when I think you can’t get any better, you say stuff like that.”

“Me?” Chad pointed to himself. “I’m- you think-?”

“You’re a good boy, Chad,” Evie said, pulling him close so they could all huddle together again. “You are both my good boys, and I love you very much.”

“ _Evie_ ,” Ben whispered, like she was a wondrous thing. And she was, so good on him.

“Love you too,” Chad murmured. “And also the three partners I didn’t know I had.”

“Mal’s gonna get a kick out of that,” Evie giggled. 

And yeah, she really would.

Ben let out a quiet laugh. “Man, and my parents were throwing a fit over me having _one_ extra partner.”

“That’s how we do things on the Isle, Ben,” Evie offered sweetly. “We roll deep.”

“Works for me,” Chad decided. If it got him this group of people that supported him and liked having him around, then he would gladly adopt that Isle tradition. 

“Yeah,” Ben laughed. “Me too.”

And just like that, things seemed fine. Doable. The monstrous terrors that had previously hung over their heads were abandoned, leaving a road that was wide open for their future, the possibilities branching out before them in limitless wonder.

And yet, with all that waited ahead, Chad could not help but hold onto _this_ exact moment. Because it was here, with these people, that he finally came into his own. Here, where he was finally _found_.

And that was something he would hold with him until the end of his days, knowing it was the pivotal moment where he was given an actual chance to _live_. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it, guys!!! Thank you so much for following me on this fluffy exploration of Chad and Evie’s relationship. I was truly blown away by the enthusiastic response to this story – something I really didn’t expect, and I’m so grateful for your support!! You guys make it a real joy to write for Descendants!!
> 
> I have plans for a sequel lined up, and while I have managed to commit some stuff to paper, I don’t know if it will ever feel like being completed. There’s a good chance for it, though, so we shall just have to see ^_^
> 
> If you’re looking for more to read, I’ll be posting the deleted scenes as well as the first chapter of my next Chad-centric fic, [‘Sunlight Through the Trees in Summer’](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26954212/chapters/65785792) shortly :)
> 
> Story notes: 
> 
> Francis is taken from the live action movie ‘Ever After’, which is not Disney-owned, but it provided a name I needed so I decided to steal it. I’m not entirely sure if I explained that in the chapter he made an appearance in before, so I thought I’d do so now :)
> 
> For the record, I also do like Prince Phillip, he just fell under the unfortunate category of someone I needed to be an antagonist for the sake of plot. 
> 
> WARNING – Traumatic Flashback – This happens after everyone has been seated in the dining room and the royal families are discussing Ben’s sudden relationship with Chad and Evie. King Phillip makes a comment about King Christopher’s suicide attempt and it sets Chad off. If you would like to skip this, look for:
> 
> “Phillip,” Queen Belle interrupted, tone sharp, but the king ignored her completely, his focus on Chad’s grandfather. 
> 
> The flashback will be over by:
> 
> “Stop this,” Queen Aurora ordered, placing a firm hand on King Phillip’s shoulder and refusing to allow it to be shaken off. “We are leaving,” she declared…
> 
> Until next time
> 
> -:-:-:-:-:-
> 
> ‘Someone who treats you better, someone who wants you around. Someday, somewhere, somehow – you’re gonna feel found.’ – Found, The Steven Universe Movie


	10. Deleted Scenes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because I have a tendency to write stories out of order, I often end up with miscellaneous scenes that don’t go anywhere. This story ended up with quite a few, actually.

** Miscellaneous Audrey Antagonism – The Proposed Double Date **

Notes: _This was intended to eventually segue into a group bonding thing that would allow Ben to see the darker side of Audrey while growing more attached to the might of Chad/Evie, but unfortunately I was never able to fill it out, thus leaving it to be abandoned._

-:-:-:-:-:-

“We should go on a double date,” Audrey announced out of the blue at lunch one day, breaking out of her awkward, forced smile to address Chad and Evie.

Chad… did not understand. “Why?” he asked. “You don’t like Evie.”

Audrey pressed a hand against her chest as though she was mortally offended. “I do _too_ like Evie.”

“No, you don’t,” Carlos spoke up. “You’re the one that spreads all those awful rumors.”

“There’s rumors?” Chad asked, splitting his attention between Audrey and Evie. He felt like he was getting pulled between two unyielding forces, even though Evie wouldn’t meet his eyes. “What rumors?”

“Don’t worry about them,” Mal muttered. “They’re stupid and wrong.” She stabbed at her pasta with angry movements. “But Audrey also started them-”

“I did _not_ ,” Audrey insisted, and Chad wanted to believe her but even _Jane_ was giving her a dubious look, and Jane gave just about anyone the benefit of the doubt. 

“-which makes me wonder why you’d want to double date with Evie and Chad anyway,” Mal finished as though she hadn’t heard her. “I find this suspect.”

“Well you shouldn’t,” Audrey sniffed, turning her wounded look to Ben when she realized no one else believed her. “As I am being nice and offering an olive branch.”

“Seems more like a trap to me,” Carlos grumbled under his breath, his attention mostly focused on the tablet Chad had gotten him to work on a project for his programming class.

“Guys,” Ben finally spoke up, looking less and less happy as the conversation went on. “Maybe there have been some… _tensions_ in the past-”

“Just yesterday she told everyone that Evie was only dating Chad for his money,” Mal pointed out, and Chad was glad he hadn’t heard that rumor, because it was _terrible_.

“That’s not true,” Chad spoke up, hating the way Evie tensed beside him. “Why would you say that, Audrey?”

Audrey’s expression switched into something close to murderous. “Do you believe _her_ over _me_?” 

“Um-” Chad had gotten so used to Mal being the boss and being nice to him that he’d forgotten where he’d come from, forgotten his _roots_ , and it wasn’t until this exact moment that he realized how crazy that was. Maybe Mal had heard something wrong. Maybe this was all a misunderstanding.

“Please, Audrey.” It was Lonnie who rolled her eyes, huffing at Audrey’s overdramatic reaction. “We all heard you talking about it. You don’t have to put Chad on the spot like that.”

“He buys her a lot of stuff,” Audrey pressed, not even denying it after she’d just- then Mal was right all along? “And stuff for _them_.”

“I bought you a lot of stuff too,” Chad said, still fumbling to play catch up, and it wasn’t until he got confused expressions from everyone else, including _Ben_ , that he realized what he’d said. “I mean, because we’ve been friends for a long time.”

Audrey was his only friend, everyone knew that.

“You mad that he’s spreading the love around, _Audrey_?” Mal cooed, but it didn’t seem sweet like Evie’s normally were. This was more like a taunt.

“Hey, let’s just settle down,” Ben tried again, giving his best reassuring smile that didn’t even work on Chad, and Chad loved Ben’s solid confidence. “Change can be… difficult, and that’s not an excuse to make poor choices.” He seemed to aim that at Audrey, who did not like it one bit. “But we should always strive to move forward in kindness, if we can.”

“Sure,” Mal huffed. “We can do that at school, though. Not on a double date where _you_ control the situation.”

It was obvious who the ‘you’ in question was, and Audrey was already puffing up in mock offense. “What are you _implying_?”

“She isn’t implying anything,” Ben said, and he offered this with such certainty that Chad _did_ believe him, even though he knew it wasn’t true, and then he further rocked Chad’s world by saying, “What if Chad and Evie planned the date?” At the table’s surprised silence, he continued, “You guys take care of all the logistics, and you tell us when and where to show up. That way everyone’s satisfied.”

Everyone except Audrey, but at least Evie seemed to finally relax, and Mal’s gaze had narrowed thoughtfully. “There will be chaperones,” she decided. “But otherwise, that seems… acceptable.”

“Great,” Audrey said, and it was likely just Chad’s imagination but she seemed to be saying it through clenched teeth. “Can’t wait.”

The smile Mal gave her in return was _drenched_ in sweetness, and it was so very weird on her that even Carlos gave her an odd look. “Neither can we.”

So that was how Chad got invited on his first double date.

-:-:-:-:-:-

“Have… there been a lot of rumors?” Chad asked later, when he was walking Evie from her final class to the garden, where she’d meet up with Mal and he would meet up with Jay and Carlos before going to Tourney practice. “About you guys?”

He wished he’d imagined the way Evie’s smile got a little more strained, but he was pretty sure he didn’t. “…there have been some.”

“I’m sorry,” Chad said, for lack of anything else to do. He was sorry he wasn’t socially aware enough to hear about them, sorry they had happened at all. “Are they bad?”

“A few,” Evie allowed with a shrug of her shoulders. “But they don’t matter. I’m used to people gossiping about me.”

“They matter to _me_ ,” Chad pressed, and while he hated the way Evie came to an abrupt halt, her expression shifted into a muted concern. “If they make you feel bad, I want to know about them, so I can make you feel better. I want to be there for you, Evie, and… I’m sorry I’m not good with gossip stuff.” That was the nicest way of saying people ignored him that he could think of. “I’m glad that they don’t bother you, but if they ever _do_ , would you tell me, please? So I can support you however you want, even if that means finding Mal or Jay or Carlos so that _they_ can hug you better.”

He felt better after he’d said his speech, even though he didn’t really know what to make of the expression on Evie’s face, though it seemed closer to positive than before, and definitely wasn’t concerned. Was she happy?

“…I’ll try to do that, Chad,” she said eventually, but she _was_ smiling, like she was pleased with him, and Chad could take comfort in the fact that he’d done at least one thing right that day. “Thank you.”

Chad flushed. “You don’t have to thank me,” he murmured. “I just want to be a good boyfriend to you, since you’re such a good girlfriend to me.”

“Well then,” she said, deftly slipping her hand into his and tugging him forward. “You’re doing a great job.”

Chad didn’t even ask for verification, because Evie didn’t say things she didn’t mean, and if she meant _that_ -

Then he really _was_ doing a good job. 

It was an overwhelmingly wonderful thing.

-:-:-:-:-:-

** Chapter 7 – Alternative King Christopher Scene **

Notes: _The original version of this scene ended up having Chad’s father be a little too lucid and supportive at this point in the story, so I ultimately re-wrote for something a bit angstier (you know how I do). Below is a fluffier version of King Christopher meeting Evie for the first time. To clarify, the contract Chad references in the beginning is not the marriage contract because the Duke hasn’t made an appearance yet, but the contract Mal suggested Doug make to confirm Chad’s position in Evie’s life._

-:-:-:-:-:-

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you,” Evie murmured against his curls, holding him close while wiping away what remained of his tears. “I got pulled into an interview by the school news, and then Ben and the others showed up without you and we got Jane’s text…” She pressed a soft kiss to his forehead. “I don’t care if she’s gone, we’re not going to leave you alone like that again, okay? We’re going to make it up to you.”

“You don’t have to-”

“Yes, we do.” She was so beautifully sure. “You’re not alone, Chad. You’re one of us.”

One of them, and _Evie’s_ , and she was even willing to sign a contract for him (not that he’d ever let her do that but _still_ ). 

Maybe he had done horribly by Audrey, but he could do better for Evie. She believed in him, and he didn’t want to disappoint her. She had already promised to tell him if he ever let her down and she hadn’t yet, so he just needed to take comfort in that. 

For the first time since Audrey’s confrontation, Chad felt something close to peace fall over him. Things could be okay, maybe, or at least closer to them.

No sooner did he have the thought then the door to the infirmary flew open, and in strode the worried visage of his father, Chad’s grandfather a half step behind him.

“ _Chad_.” His father crossed the room with a wrecked sort of composure that seemed to be the only thing Chad could inspire from him, and it only got worse when he noticed all of Chad’s bruises. “My boy,” he gasped, one hand moving to cradle Chad’s jaw while he seemed to almost stare _through_ him. “My perfect boy.”

Chad’s gaze drifted frantically to his grandfather. He didn’t know what to do, he so very rarely talked to his father and he definitely avoided him when he was close to losing his composure like he was now. At most, Chad had expected his grandfather in a couple of hours, he hadn’t expected _both_ of them so soon, and the lack of preparation made him silent with stupidity.

“We had a meeting with King Adam,” Chad’s grandfather explained, watching the display with a weary sort of resignation. He knew as well as Chad did that there was little helping his father when he got like this.

“And then Fairy Godmother called and said there was an _attack_ ,” Chad’s dad pressed, and _of course_ Fairy Godmother was one of the few individuals that had direct access to his father’s phone, she had been his mom’s godmother. “Who did this, Chad?”

“Audrey Rose,” Evie informed him, feeling the tension settle in Chad’s shoulders.

“A princess?” Chad’s grandfather echoed, disbelief etched into his tone. “You allowed a princess-”

“He didn’t _allow_ anything,” Mal snapped, and when Chad looked to her it was to see that Aziz had joined her huddle with Jane, and they had likely been gossiping about Audrey together. 

Chad’s father didn’t seem to hear them, teetering close to falling apart. “My boy,” he murmured, tracing Chad’s cheek. “Maybe we should take you back to Sardinia, where it’s safe. You could be homeschooled and we wouldn’t have to worry about you getting hurt-”

“Dad.” Chad swallowed, tried to protest but didn’t want to make things worse when he was so terribly conscious of the others watching him. 

“What good is this school anyway?” Chad’s father continued. “I was educated in Sardinia and at least there you could have a guard with you at all times so you can stay safe and sound-”

“ _Dad_.” Chad hated how shaky he was, hated the way Evie’s arms tensed around him. “I can’t- I can’t come home, I-” He frantically searched his mind for a reason and only came up with one. “I have a girlfriend.”

This, of all things, made Chad’s father stop and seem to actually focus on him instead of blond curls and blue eyes and a bruised body. “…you have a girlfriend?”

“Yes.” Tentatively, Chad motioned to Evie. “This is Princess Evelyn Hatzfeld, of Hanover.”

“Charmed,” Evie said without missing a beat, dipping into a perfect curtsey. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, King Christopher.”

Chad’s father stared at her for a painful moment, and then, like some kind of miracle, a smile broke across his face. “The pleasure is mine, Evelyn,” he said, squeezing Chad’s shoulder. “My little boy’s growing up so fast. You already have a girlfriend.” He looked over his shoulder towards Chad’s grandfather. “A _girlfriend_.”

“Who would appreciate Chad staying at Auradon Prep, your majesty,” Evie continued, emboldened by the positive response. “I promise I’ll do a better job looking after him.”

“I’ll look after _you_ ,” Chad protested, because it wasn’t her job to keep him out of dumb situations.

And this, somehow, earned a laugh from his father. Like it was magic. “You’ll look after each other,” he decided, tentatively placing a hand on Evie’s shoulder. “Oh, this is… _fantastic_ news. I’m so proud of you, Kit.” They were words he had never expected to hear from his father, accompanied by a smile he had never expected to receive either, and both of those were so overwhelming and different from the breakdown Chad had been expecting that neither he nor his grandfather really knew how to respond.

“You- you should come to Sardinia, over the break,” Chad’s father continued, as though he was actually invested in Chad’s life. “If you’re available, the invitation is yours.”

Evie, who didn’t seem to think things could go this well either, broke out one of her radiant smiles. “I would be honored, your majesty.”

Chad’s grandfather cleared his throat, drawing close enough to put a hand on his father’s shoulder. “That’s enough, Christopher. Perhaps we should give them some space to recover.”

“Right.” Chad’s father didn’t seem all that affected by the reminder of why he was there in the first place, too busy smiling at Chad and Evie. It was strange. “Of course. I-” He pulled Chad into a hug that he couldn’t have possibly expected, Chad blinking numbly into the hold because he honestly couldn’t remember the last time his father had willingly touched him without falling into tears. And true, when his father pulled back there was some moisture in his eyes, but he was still smiling, carding a careful hand through Chad’s hair. “Please be careful, my boy,” he whispered. “For both me and your mother.”

“Of course, dad,” Chad managed, his throat feeling unbearably tight, but his dad only nodded and allowed Chad’s grandfather to pull him away, back towards the relative safety of their car. There was no telling how long his father’s good mood would last, and it would be best to remove him from the premises entirely before the inevitable fall. 

The room was terribly silent after their departure, and Chad wondered if Evie would change her mind now that she’d seen what her future could hold.

It was Aziz who spoke up first. “Is… is your dad okay?”

Chad shrugged, turning his head into Evie’s shoulder. “Probably not.”

“You looked surprised when he hugged you,” Jane whispered, expression shifting into one of surprise as though she hadn’t meant to voice that much.

Chad squeezed his eyes closed and wished for it to be tomorrow. “He doesn’t touch me that often.”

“Why?” Aziz asked. “He’s your dad-”

“Enough questions,” Mal snapped, thankfully interrupting them. “If Chad’s good to go then we’re going to take him back to the dorm.” She cocked her head towards the nurse. “Is that okay?”

The nurse blinked out of her stupor. “Yes, yes that’s fine. But if that headache persists you need to bring him back here immediately.”

“Got it.” Mal offered her a sarcastic salute before crossing to Chad and Evie, wrapping an arm around his shoulders before gently prompting them off of the examination table. “We’re gonna go back to our room.” She turned to Aziz and Jane. “We’d appreciate it if you kept this quiet.”

There was a distinct undercurrent of threat in her tone, though it didn’t seem to be necessary, based on the serious expressions on Aziz and Jane’s faces.

“Of course.” Aziz nodded. “You can count on us.”

“We’ll see,” Mal declared with narrowed eyes, and then she was dragging them onward, Evie hooking her arm through Chad’s elbow and holding his hand the entire way back to their dorm room. 

-:-:-:-:-:-

** Chapter 9 – How The Conversation Could Have Gone  **

Notes: _This is a very brief snippet for how the dinner conversation could have gone. I decided to change routes to something that flowed better, but below is the route that would have had the royal families touching on possible enchantments much sooner in the conversation._

-:-:-:-:-:-

King Adam didn’t seem much better. “Benjamin, you have to be reasonable. I think all of us here can admit that this… choice was quite sudden. Declaring your love for someone else while you were in a committed relationship goes entirely against your character. Some find it suspect.”

“You think he was coerced?” Chad asked before he realized he probably shouldn’t be talking.

Still, that seemed to keep the conversation going, Audrey speaking up with an arrogant tilt of her head. “It was more likely that he was _enchanted_.”

“Enchanted?” But magic had been outlawed. And even if someone had the means, _why_ would they make Ben fall in love with Evie? “Who would do that?”

“I _wasn’t_ enchanted, guys,” Ben spoke up just as Evie’s fingers flinched against Chad’s hold – maybe she thought- was Audrey accusing _Evie_? “I got caught up in the heat of the moment.” He turned to face Audrey head on. “Look, Audrey, I’m sorry I didn’t formally break up with you before I asked Evie and Chad to coronation. That was wrong of me-”

“And that’s the other thing,” Audrey interrupted. “You didn’t _ask_ Chad, you just asked Evie. _She’s_ the one that made you include him.”

“What else was she supposed to do?” Chad’s grandfather spoke in. “The girl could hardly turn down an open invitation from the king-to-be…”

-:-:-:-:-:-

** ALTERNATE STORYLINE – Chapter 7 – Ben Falls In Love With Mal **

Notes: _The first run at the love potion I took had Ben falling in love with Mal, the same way he did in canon. As such, Audrey demanded Chad break up with Evie and date her instead. I ended up nixing this because a lot of the things they talk about are covered in the hide and seek chapter, which I ended up writing later. This confrontation is to take place after Chad publicly turned down Audrey asking him to coronation, since he was still dating Evie at the time._

-:-:-:-:-:-

“ _Chad_.” Audrey dragged him into the shadowy nook under the bleachers before Chad could even make it back to the locker room, her grip squeezing tight against his forearm. “Chad, what was _that_?”

“I-” He’d panicked, and now he was panicking _again_ – Chad really was useless – and he didn’t know what to say in the wake of Audrey’s rage-filled glare as he hadn’t been on the receiving end of it in a long time. “The-the thing with Mal. That’s- it’s sudden, isn’t it?”

“Of course it’s sudden, _Chad_ ,” Audrey hissed, words being spat out like venom.

“S-So it’s weird,” Chad rushed to say. “Like- maybe it’s a phase? And if it’s a phase you should- if you’re loyal to him he’ll remember that and when he comes back he’ll love you even more-”

“That wasn’t the _deal_ , Chad,” Audrey snapped, fingers curling into Chad’s hair before she roughly dragged it downwards, making it so he had to hunch over painfully. He deserved it, of course, for making Audrey look bad in public. “The deal was if Ben breaks up with me, you’re _mine_.”

“I know.” She needed to be aware that he hadn’t forgotten. “But- with Evie-”

“Who _cares_ about Evie?” She tugged on his hair again, hard enough to rock him forward.

“S-She’s a princess,” Chad explained. “And she’s really nice. She um- doesn’t deserve to be um- dumped like-”

At once, Audrey let go of his hair, but that was only so she could slap him across the face.

“Do you _like_ her?” Audrey snarled, emphasizing this with another slap. “Chad,” she began, curling one hand into his hair again and letting the other shove under his shirt so she could rake her nails across his stomach. “Can’t you see she’s just _using_ you? She only wants to be queen, she doesn’t actually _care_ about you. I mean, she’s an Isle kid – she isn’t capable of those kind of feelings.”

“B-But I think she likes me,” Chad pressed. “And I like spending time with her-”

“ _Chad_ ,” Audrey sighed, a painful thing, dragging new and fresh marks across Chad’s abdomen until they started to bleed. “You have to remember that you’re too stupid for her. You’re weak and flighty, and she might not see that now but she’s going _to_ eventually. Now, _I-_ ” She jerked on his curls again, hard enough to make his eyes start watering. “- _know_ you. I’ve grown up with you. I understand you like no one else can and even though you are unquestionably stupid, I’m okay with that.” She stopped tugging on his hair to drop a hand to his jaw, squeezing it carefully. “You’re my sweet little dunce. And even if you won’t be a good king one day, you _will be_ lovely arm candy. And we’ll have such pretty children.” She gave his face another squeeze. “Do you think Evie would be as kind?”

…maybe? Chad didn’t know. He’d only known Evie for a few months but he liked her _a lot_. He knew she was rough around the edges for a princess, but she never hurt him, and she always seemed happy to be around him.

“Look, Chad,” Audrey huffed. “Either break up with her now, like a gentleman, or be the greedy little child you are and hold onto her, only to be dumped by _her_ later when she realizes what a mess you are. I warn you though, if you make me wait, I might not be there for you, and then you’ll be all alone again.” She rubbed a careful circle against his cheek, knowing how much Chad hated to be on his own. “Think about it, ducky, and then do the right thing.”

With that, she walked away, leaving Chad with a stinging bruise on both cheeks and a new conundrum, knowing there was nothing but truth to Audrey’s words but wishing, for once, that she was wrong.

Chad knew what he had to do, he just- he hated it.

He wished life was easier, but he was a prince, and with that came certain responsibilities. He had to do the right thing. 

Evie deserved that much.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Chad’s feet felt like lead weights when he dragged himself to Evie and Mal’s dorm room after he’d gotten changed. He’d had to wait for the rest of the team to finish up before he could take off his uniform, conscious of the new un-Tourney like bruises mottling his torso. He’d had to apply makeup to his face to make himself seem simi-presentable, but that had only bought him so much time, leaving him to knock on Evie’s door far too soon.

Part of him hoped no one would be there, that she might be out celebrating, but Carlos opened the door, gaze shifting into something like relief when he saw Chad.

“Hey, dude,” he greeted, letting the prince into the room. “What happened to you?” 

“I got um- held up,” Chad said, making a conscious effort not to shove his hands in his pockets because he was supposed to be _regal_ and not a schlub. He took a moment to scope out the others – Jay was, of course, sprawled across Mal’s bed like he owned it, watching what sounded like a replay of the Tourney game on the phone Ben had gotten him with Dude curled against his chest. Mal seemed stuck by Evie’s desk, the princess pointing enthusiastically at what had to be a collection of designs she’d made for Mal’s coronation dress. 

The princess’ gaze lit up the moment she saw Chad, and she was across the room in an instant, holding onto his arm. “That was amazing, what you did out there,” she gushed, and just like every other time she complimented Chad, he basked in it, even though he knew he didn’t deserve it. “And the _look_ on Audrey’s face…”

“Yeah.” Chad mustered a smile. “She wasn’t happy.”

“I’ll say.” Carlos made a face, curling up beside Jay with his laptop. “Since she grabbed you right after the game. What did she want with you, anyway?”

This got Mal’s interest. “Audrey spoke to you?” Her gaze narrowed. “What did she say?”

Because he was inept, Chad found himself shifting uncomfortably under the weight of their combined stares, wishing he was almost anywhere else. “Just- I need to talk to you, Evie. If that’s okay.”

Evie blinked, but she didn’t question him, didn’t yell or look annoyed. “Of course it’s okay,” she said softly. “What do you want to talk about?”

“Um.” Chad swallowed. “If we could- in private.”

“No.” Of course Mal was the one to put her foot down. “Whatever you have to say to Evie you can say to all of us.”

“Right.” Chad knew that, he _knew_ that. “Sorry, I…” This was so much harder than he’d imagined, but he tried to look Evie in the eye, because she deserved the moon and the stars, and he couldn’t give that to her. “I have to break up with you.”

Evie looked about as thrown about this breakup as Chad had been over his own with Audrey. She blinked, clearly trying to process this, and in that time Mal stormed up beside them.

“ _Why_?” She growled, clutching onto Chad’s arm.

It was a fair question. “I’m… I’m sorry,” he said, because manners mattered. “I haven’t- I wasn’t honest with you.” Because he was ashamed. “You haven’t known me for that long but I… I’m not smart. Or- good at a lot of things, and that might be okay _now_ but in the future I just-” He cut himself off with a shallow. “You deserve better.”

Like Ben. Chad wished he could give Evie Ben; they’d be so good together.

Mal opened her mouth, likely to snarl at him, but Evie was the one who spoke up next, her voice carefully soft. “Did Audrey tell you that?”

Chad felt his shoulders hunch, had to fight to straighten them up because no one liked a _sloucher_. “…she reminded me,” Chad explained. “And she’s known me all my life so she- she doesn’t mind that I’m- um- dumb. So.”

“…so you want to date her?” Evie prompted, one hand settling on Mal’s shoulder to keep her quiet. 

Chad opened his mouth. Closed it.

No, actually. He didn’t _want_ to date Audrey; he just also knew he couldn’t do any better. Audrey herself was a _gift_ and she was willing to put up with him, that was more than Chad could ever hope for.

“Do you want to keep dating me?” Evie tried, and at _that_ , Chad immediately nodded, because Evie was the nicest, smartest, kindest princess he’d ever met, and she _liked_ him for whatever reason. “Then it’s settled,” she declared. “We won’t break up.”

“But-” Chad frowned. “Long-term-”

“You’re not dumb, Chad,” Mal interrupted with a frown. “And unless you _actually_ want to break up with Evie, you are not _dumping_ her, got it?”

“But she could do better,” Chad pointed out. “By a lot.”

Evie surged forward, cradling Chad’s face in her hands with a tentative care Audrey had never exerted. “I don’t want someone else; I want _you_ , Chad.” She said it like she meant it, and then she even leaned forward, pressing her lips against Chad’s like she wasn’t ashamed of him, like she _liked_ him, and it filled Chad with such a hopeful _warmth_ that he couldn’t do anything but lean into it, happy to meet her halfway.

“Now, come on,” she said when she leaned back. “We have a coronation dress we could look over. Or we could just-cuddle on the bed while Jay reenacts his grand Tourney plays, _or_ we could help coach Mal through her date with Ben.”

“He hasn’t asked me on one, yet,” Mal groaned, letting her head fall back with a dramatic sigh.

“But he will,” Evie chirped. She slid her hand into Chad’s, and they weren’t even in public – it was just for them, for here, and Chad loved it a lot. “Now, what would you like to do?”

Chad was so unused to the question that it threw him, but eventually he managed a tentative smile. “…all of them?”

“Good choice,” Carlos offered, and then Evie was dragging him towards her sketchbook, happily taking his suggestions while Jay heckled them from across the room, Mal throwing the occasional ball of crumpled paper at his head in retaliation.

Overall, it was the best not-breakup Chad had ever been a part of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was all she wrote :)
> 
> Until next time


End file.
